Cityreach Church Swissvale

Resident Preacher, Michael Thornhill, of Restoration Community Church continues a sermon series around difficult questions of the faith. The next question is "Doesn't the Bible Condone Slavery?" There are depictions of slavery in the Bible, does this mean that the Bible is condoning of the practice? Passages: Luke 7:1-10; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 3:11; Galatians 3:28; Genesis 16; Exodus 21:16, 10, 26, 20-21; Proverbs 6:16-19

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues a sermon series around difficult questions of the faith. The next question is "Hasn't Science Disproved Christianity?" In this message we look at the relationship between science and faith. Passages: Job 26:7; Ecclesiastes 1:5; Genesis 3:19

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues a sermon series around difficult questions of the faith. The next question is "How Can You Take the Bible Literally?" Pastor Chris discusses the need for nuance as top when to take the Bible literally verses metaphorically. An additional note: we had some technical difficulties, so there are parts of the feed where the sound seems to go in and out, we will try to address this for next week. Passages: John 3:4; John 2:19-21; Isaiah 55:12; Mark 8:22-25; Luke 5:1-11

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues a sermon series around difficult questions of the faith. The next question is "Doesn't Religion Cause Violence?" Is religion more likely to cause violence than secular humanism ideologies? What did Jesus have to say about violence in his teaching? Passages: Matthew 25:41-46; 1 John 1:8; Matthew 5:38-39, 44; Matthew 18:21-22; Luke 9:23; Romans 12:21

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues a sermon series around difficult questions of the faith. The next question is "Doesn't Religion Hinder Morality?" Many atheists like to propose that religion causes people to act in immoral manners, but is that a fair critique of faith systems? Passages: Romans 2:13-15; Galatians 5:22-23

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues a sermon series around difficult questions of the faith. The next question is "How Can You Say There's Only One True Faith?" Are different religions mutually exclusive? Why or why not? If we advocate for the truth of Christianity, how does that direct our interactions with those who might be different from us? Passages: Genesis 2:9; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19; Matthew 28:18-20

Resident Preacher, Michael Thornhill, of Restoration Community Church continues a sermon series around difficult questions of the faith. The second question is "Doesn't Christianity Crush Diversity?" What does the Bible have to say about this topic? How has diversity been supported and/or destroyed in the life of the church? Passages: Revelation 7:9-11; Acts 6:1-6; Galatians 2:11-16

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church kicks off a new sermon series around difficult questions of the faith. The first question is "Aren't We Better Off Without Religion?" Is religion toxic like proponents of the new atheism profess? Or is religion beneficial for us and our world? Passages: John 15:18-19; Acts 20:35; Philippians 4:12-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; Matthew 7:14

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church concludes an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for justice. Soon after the birth of the promised Messiah, King Herod attempts to strike out against this threat to his job security by slaughtering infants in the town of Bethlehem. The wait for true justice is not yet over. Passages: Matthew 2:13-18; Jeremiah 31:16-17; 2 Peter 3:9

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for love. Dr. Larry Crabb says that in our relationships we look for two elements, security and significance. We examined how human relationships ultimately fall short of this need and only God can truly fulfill us. Passages: 1 John 4:7-8; Psalm 36:5; Zephaniah 3:17; Isaiah 54:10; Romans 5:6-8; John 4:10; Galatians 4:4-5

Michael Thornhill of Restoration Community Church continues an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for joy. Is it possible to experience the joy of the Lord in the midst of our struggles? Much like "walking and chewing gum" at the same time?

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for peace in the world. It doesn't take long to look around and find places of strife, violence, and disorder. As we wait in the season of Advent, we wait for Jesus to return to give us peace, not just the absence of violence, but true shalom. Passages: Psalm 120:6-7; Isaiah 9:6-7; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14-16; John 14:27; John 16:32-33; Matthew 5:9; Isaiah 2:4; Romans 12:17-18

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church begins an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for hope in the world. Trauma, illness, conflict, many things can cause us to despair. How does the sign of Jesus give us hope that we are not alone? Passages: Job 2:9; Job 19:25; Isaiah 7:10-16; Matthew 1:21-23; John 16:33; Psalm 42/43:5

Our friend, Dave Bindewald, delivers the message at Restoration Community Church this week. He explores why Christians should never make claims like "things will always be this way" or "it is never going to change." In the faithfulness of God, even when hope is difficult, transformation will occur.

Our friend, Michael Thornhill, delivers the message at Restoration Community Church this week. Looking at the history of the book of Lamentations, he encourages us to see how gratitude can help us gain perspective amid suffering. Passages: Lamentations 3:22-23

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church explores the biblical concept of tithing. Is tithing required for believers under the New Covenant? Passages: Genesis 14:17-20; Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:21; Deuteronomy 14:28-29; Malachi 3:8-9; Matthew 23:23; Luke 18:9-14; Matthew 19:23-24; Luke 6:20, 24; Matthew 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:10

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church returns to the New City Catechism for this week's message. This is question 24 of the NCC: Q: Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die? A: Since death is the punishment for sin, Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God. By his substitutionary atoning death he alone redeems us from hell and gains for us forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and everlasting life. Passages: Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:21; Hebrews 12:2; Ephesians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 5:11; John 3:16; Hebrews 10:14

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church concludes an 8-week look at Paul's letter to the Philippians. At the close of the letter we see Paul thank the Philippians church for their financial support of him. We look at themes of gratitude and contentment. Passages: Philippians 4:10-23; Proverbs 30:8-9

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues an 8-week look at Paul's letter to the Philippians. In this section of the letter Paul addresses a specific conflict in the Philippians church, and then encourages the church in their broader conflict with those who are persecuting them. Passages: Philippians 4:2-9; Philippians 2:2

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues an 8-week look at Paul's letter to the Philippians. In this section of the letter Paul encourages the saints in Philippi to maintain their pursuit of their faith in Christ. He warns them of becoming complacent. Passages: Philippians 3:12-4:1