Culture is constantly shifting around us. Some shifts are obvious while some shifts are subtle. However, both shifts are unbiblical and if we aren’t careful we will follow culture on some fronts & fight culture on others. So, how should we stand firm in the faith and what does that even mean? Fortunately for us we aren’t the first generation of bel…

Who have you discipled since you have become a believer? Who has discipled you since you have given your life to Christ? Could it be that believers are more concerned with their own problems and spiritual struggles that we don't take opportunity to encourage and lift other believers up. Not because we don't have the knowledge but because we don't h…

How often in life are we looking for the next big mountain top experience? High School Graduation; College Graduation; First Career Job; Marriage; Kids; Vacations; Etc. In our spiritual lives we can often focus on the Big Things while never giving a second thought to the daily living for Christ. In today's sermon Pastor Marc reminds us from scriptu…

Steps in a Christians walk can be categorized into Outward Steps (easier) and Inward Steps (more difficult). Outward steps are things like Baptism, Fellowship, Serving and Giving while Inward steps revolve around Prayer, Word, Discipleship and Submission. While these lists are not exhaustive they give a good direction for spiritual growth!…

What’s the best investment you’ve ever made? MATTHEW 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." Culture is obsessed w/ investing, returns, net worth & income. This is why we are one of the wealthiest nations & at same time…

Following Jesus is very simple yet difficult at the same time. Four necessary elements here are desire, denial, embracing the cross, and following. Most of us confuse desire for the whole of it. Desire is the start, but not the end.

What we memorialize says a lot about a culture. What we choose to remember and what we choose to forget reveals what we value. This is one reason God instructed the Israelites to “remember” so often.

In the last session for the Peace of Mind series we hope one thing is abundantly clear, You are not alone! God cares about your mind. More than just being made aware of a problem we hope you've seen that God offers solutions and a path toward wholeness. Following Jesus can help heal our mind and we will close our series with wisdom given from Paul …

Our culture is at war over who gets to determine truth for the next generation. Countless moms are frustrated by hidden agendas in children’s cartoons, disappointed in the school system and weary from explaining to their kids for the millionth time why they don’t have their own phone yet. So what does scripture say about motherhood? Should moms be …

Do you know a person who seems to know when you are struggling? Do you know someone who seems to always ask "How are you" and really mean it? Do you feel that you are that person who is always checking on others but never being checked on yourself? In the book of Ruth we can see Naomi love her daughter in law, Ruth but also share burnout and fatigu…

"Stop being anxious!" If you are like others, those words bring frustration and uncertainty. While the Bible teaches not to worry and tells us not to be anxious we continue fretting over life. Dan Millman once said "you don’t have to control your thoughts you just can’t let your thoughts control you." So instead of the worlds view of offering self-…

If a person deals with depression can they be a Christian? Shouldn't Christians be able to avoid mental health issues by simply trusting God to "carry them through"? Does that Bible even talk about mental health and overcoming what is viewed as brokenness? Pastor Brian shares from a very real and honest perspective of how God and His word can help …

Studies show that worry is most often a result of a desire for control mixed with fear of the unknown. So we worry about not being in control of a situation that may or may not cause a disruption in our life. As Christians our worry may not be defeated like other sins and struggles in our lives because we don't see it as a road block that probably …

What’s something you’ve tried to practice and improve, but no matter how hard you try you can’t seem to do it any better? Basketball, Cooking, listening, etc. Sometimes we try to improve something or fix something in our lives when we really need to seek help from other people or sources. In this series, we will start with truth, move to common myt…

You ever hear something you can’t wait to share? Maybe it’s good news, bad news, juicy gossip. The Pharisees and the chief priest had a situation that required making up a story to cover any word of a resurrection. They shared a lie to keep the truth from getting out. How might we be like the Pharisees?…

Think through all of the contracts you are involved in (gym membership, mortgage/lease, car note, streaming service, etc) and try to determine which contract/agreement in your life has been the best deal? As Americans, we often times live and die by the contracts. Hold up your end of the contract or the deal is voided. So did you know God built his…

Why do we feel the need to jump into a dating relationship with the intent of hearing the words "I love you" and setting a wedding date? If we would slow our dating role it may in turn help our marriage. As we learn to honor Christ in our dating relationship it will lead to honoring Christ in our marriage!…

If you could change 2 aspects of your marriage what would you change? Many of us assume more money, better schedule, more attractive version of self or spouse, but what would you change to improve your marriage? Today’s passage is very misunderstood, but in it Paul lays out the framework for a healthy marriage. There are 2 key ingredients that are …

Marriage is much easier when you want to raise kids, plan your weekend, determine what values your home will and won’t celebrate if you both are on the same page. Paul knows you can’t build a foundation together if you’re not even in agreement what to build a life upon. Who we spend the most time with will influence our faith, values, our world vie…

Would it surprise you to know that the average age for marriage today is 28.5 for females and 30 for males? It’s no wonder most don’t save sex for marriage as people are now on average, 15-20 years beyond puberty by the time they are married. So was Paul right when he said "it is good not to be married" or when he said to marry quickly if "they can…

There are so many questions to consider for lasting relationships. Why do most marriages fail? How do I know if someone is "marriage material"? How do I know if I am? How can I prepare for marriage? How do we protect our marriage from being another statistic? What does a healthy relationship look like anyway? By the time we think through all of the…

Remember when you thought being an adult was when you’d really enjoy life? Graduating HS, College, Marriage. We all thought the next season would be so perfect that’s when we’d be happy. So how do our current expectations align with individuals whose stories are shared in scripture?

Restore is celebrating 8 years on this Vision Sunday. While we continue to study the book of Joshua we will celebrate what God has done in and through Restore in 2023 while looking forward to what He is continuing to lead us to.

Have you ever watched a team get caught for cheating while having an incredible season? They fell into the lie that rules don’t apply to them. Every “rule” has a reason. God’s Word has endured because this guide for living applies in every generation. Passages used in todays message force us to deal with hard truths: sin, punishment and God’s holin…

How many cliche terms have you heard referencing the beginning of a new year? New Year, New You or others. How much time have you spent planning out the changes for your new year? Have you ever reminisced about the good God has done in the previous year before making plans for what's next? Join us as we reminisce 2023 while dreaming about what's ne…

Do you get tired of being asked what you want for Christmas? As kids we assumed stuff under the tree would make us happy. As we get older we look for bigger stuff or more expensive stuff which leads to storage problems. Given enough time the day hits us that no purchased gift can really bring us joy when we are broken inside. This is where God does…

Christs birth all the way to His ascension to heaven was predicted hundreds of years before by prophets. We can ask "what is the likelihood" of such happenings but it is more relevant to look at the history of and how each of these prophecies was fulfilled in real life.

When Jesus was born why did God announce the news of the Saviors birth to the Shepherds first? Pastor Brian shares insight into the importance of shepherds hearing of the Saviors birth as well as offering first hand insight into the landscape of Bethlehem and how it played a role in sending a message of salvation to the world.…

The "Wise Men" brought 3 Types of Gifts (Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh) to honor the arrival of Jesus. So what is the symbolic meaning attached to each gift and how can we have better insight into Jesus being our ultimate Prophet, Priest and King?

What significance does The Star have in the story of Christ coming to earth as Savior of the world? How do the Rich Rulers or Magi play into the story and how does this all pertain to us today? Listen as pastor shares how Gratitude has always lead to Giving throughout Christian history.

Have you ever heard of a 501c3 or non-profit ask individuals to stop giving because they had too much? How about a church? Ever seen a pastor stand up and tell the congregation that giving is no longer wanted because there is too much to distribute? Scripture tells about a time that deep gratitude led God’s people to give to the Lord so sacrificial…

Have you noticed every time there’s major conflict in the middle east our hearts get nervous? Some Christians are quick to say this means Jesus return is imminent, as if it wasn’t already. But isn't the return of Christ supposed to be good news for believers? As we are reminded of the imminent coming of Christ are we challenged to share Him with ot…

Praising and thanksgiving go hand in hand. It’s impossible to praise God without being thankful and just as impossible to be thankful without praising God. So how can we practice continued gratitude according to scripture. Pastor Marc shares practical applications from scripture of how we can consistently practice gratitude.…

Have you ever felt overlooked or wondered if anyone is noticing you? Psychologists actually believe now that we suffer from something called hurry sickness which is defined as a behavior pattern characterized by continual rushing and anxiousness, or an uncomfortable feeling in which someone feels chronically short of time, and so tends to perform e…

Have you ever come to Sunday and felt so exhausted you considered skipping the fellowship of believers? Maybe you have considered stepping away from Sunday gatherings to gain more personal time during your week. Pastor Brian shares from Mark 6 that if you don’t make time for your wellness you will be forced to make time for your illness.…

Every year, about 2.7 million church members drop from church membership. One of the main reasons is attributed to church members leaving as hurt and wounded by other church members, not God. The church is composed of flawed people, so hurt will inevitably occur so what should I do if the church hurt me?…

What sets Christianity up as a relationship versus all of the other religions that are observed in the world? Can we know without a doubt that Jesus is God's son and that he not only gave his life but also raised from the dead? And how do the disciples play into giving proof that the gospel is true? This week pastor shares 4 evidences that the resu…

Maybe you grew up going to church and God became more of a lifestyle than a relationship. Watching other Christians live a seemingly worry free life with no signs of doubt ever obvious. Then as you grew and the doubts began to come you tried to convince yourself there is no room for doubt here. Facing doubt alone can be discouraging but God intende…

"Doubt Your Doubts" sounds like an "oxymoron" when it comes to a believers Faith in God. How is doubting my doubts even possible and can it help me grow in my spiritual walk? Pastor Marc looks to the Psalms to offer a path of dealing with our feelings by praying through them.By Pastor Marc

Welcome to the Podcast Service of Portsmouth Union Church. Pastor Ari is on vacation for a couple of week. So for this Sunday we have our former Leadership Chair Justin Fox give a brief message on service. The sermon Title for this sermon was "Embracing Service." This sermon was originally preached on 9.17.2023…

Welcome the Portsmouth Union Church sermon series picture. This sermon continues the series called Our Money Story. The sermon title that Pastor Ari will be preaching on is "RESTORE" This sermon was originally preached 9.10.2023

Doubt can often bring turmoil in a believers life but how can doubt be necessary? Could our Christian "lifestyle" be a contributing factor to our doubt? This week our guest speaker, Chad Minter, shares how scripture can point to the necessity of doubt in order to lead to spiritual growth!

Maybe you grew up in a home/church that considered doubt to be a reflection of a weak relationship with God. Maybe in turn this has lead to the belief that doubt is a sign of unbelief. While doubt will always be an issue we deal with, the truth is that Church should be a safe place to deal with doubt. After all, doubt is an opportunity for us to gr…

Welcome to the Portsmouth Union Church Sermon Series. We continue our sermon series called Our Money Story. Pastor Ari's sermon title is "Reimagine." As someone who listened to the service live it is really good.

Are we doing our part to pass down the goodness and favor and mercy of our God to the next generation? While Gen Z and Gen Alpha are considered the most connected generations to date they are also the most disconnected generation. But could this be a result former generations not communicating well and keeping God's truths silent?…

Marriages have been full of disappointment when spouses realize that working to change their spouse is impossible which often leads to separation and divorce. Much like marriages, individuals feel that if they could change those around them to be more like themselves that life would be easier. This has been true throughout history but Paul has a ve…

Welcome to the Portsmouth Union Church sermon Podcast series. This sermon we are delighted to be join by Tiffany Slauter who it is the leadership chair of PUC. She will be discussing with us Examen Prayer. So this sermon will have some quiet moments.

How do you know when a person has changed? I mean truly changed! We have all faced situations where we have lost trust in a person or persons and when they come back and say, "I'm different now. I have really changed", we proceed with extreme caution. Pastor Marc shares how scripture can help identify true change in others as well as ourselves.…