By Topic
The City
Blog | Pastor Duane
Cities are important to God. In the book of Jonah God challenges him about his lack of love for the city and reasons that the people there are important to God. In his book,
Urbanologists say 50% of the world’s population lives in cities and by 2050 that will be nearly 75%. Cities are important. In order to develop a love or more than a selfish love for our city (San Diego) we must first catch God’s vision for cities.
Porn Isn’t The Problem
Blog | Pastor Duane
The pornography industry is one of the most successful businesses on the planet pulling in nearly $5 billion dollars a year. Statistics concerning pornography are staggering: There are 25,000 pornographic internet sites. Every second 30,000 people are viewing porn and over $3000 dollars is spent on it. 40 million Americans are regular visitors to porn sites. 2.5 billion pornographic emails are sent each day. Pornography is sought after over 68 million times on search engines each day and the most popular day for porn is Sunday (even more stats here:
As a pastor I get a lot of dudes coming to me asking for help in dealing with an addiction to porn. I’ve never directly written anything on it yet. So here it is boys (and perhaps some girls too). Below are a bunch of solid resources to help you.
Peter Sees Jesus!
Easter Sunday 2011 | Selected Texts | Pastor Duane Smets
This year’s Easter sermon follows the life and experience of Peter from the time he first encountered Jesus, became a believer, bailed on Jesus and then saw him risen from the dead and changed him. This sermon was originally preached April 24th, 2011 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Family Resources
Blog | Pastor Duane Smets
Family is a big deal to God. God himself is the great and perfect father who handles a lot of responsibility in ruling over and caring for all of his creation. God has a son named Jesus whom he has forever been in healthy and happy relationship with. God sacrificially gives away his son Jesus to come to earth where he lives and dies in order to save God’s wayward human children. God then allows these wayward children to be adopted into the holy family through belief in the person and work of his son. Family is definitely a big deal to God. In many ways you might even be able to say the whole story of the Bible is about the story of God’s family.
For those who have experienced the pain of broken or lost relationships in their family, knowing God’s so big on family can have one of two effects. It can either create great difficulty since family is a sore subject and the result is a person distances themselves from God. Or it can create great hope and healing since we are designed for family and can experience redemption and grace by belonging to God’s special family through his son Jesus.
Not surprisingly, the Bible also has a lot of practical instruction on family. For many who are new to family or come from a family who did not know or exhibit the loving principles of God’s family the Bible is a great aid and resource to turn to for instructions on how to do family well. Below is a list of resources (books, articles, sermons & key Bible passages to study) I highly recommend for learning about family from God’s perspective as he has revealed in the Bible.
Family & The Gospel
Practical Ecclesiology Series | Selected Texts | James Martin
This week is an systematic theology sermon on the topic of family. Genesis 1:26-31, Deuteronomy 6:4-7 and Ephesians 6:1 are looked at for the exegetical insight on the reason and source for ministry. Special attention is given to God’s creation of family, the roles of family and the carry over of those roles in how the church is set up to function. This sermon was originally preached on February 6th, 2011 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Marriage Resources
Blog | Pastor Duane Smets
The Bible starts off explosively in a pure demonstration of super power and intelligence…God creates! His creative eruption climaxes in the formation of humanity, who become the ensuing focus with their life in the garden. Many have recognized this is not unintentional. Much of God’s creative purposes for his world is tied up in his institution of marriage. There is perhaps no more fundamental and important relationship one can form in adulthood than marriage.
In addition to recognizing the high level of esteem God places on marriage in the Bible, many have also noted the parallels at work in conceiving of marriage like a garden which needs care. The first garden Eden may not only be the geographical locale of the first marriage but also an allusion to the ongoing nature of marriage which needs regular attention. Like a garden, a marriage must be watered, weeded and enjoyed. To husbands and wives: work on your marriage! Below are some of the best resources our there which may help you in the goal and calling.
Marriage & The Gospel
Practical Ecclesiology Series | Selected Texts | Pastor Duane Smets
This week is an systematic theology sermon on the topic of marriage. Genesis 2:5-25 and Ephesians 5:20-31 are looked at for the exegetical insight on the reason and source for ministry. Special attention is given to God’s creation of marriage, the roles of marriage and the carry over of those roles in how the church is set up to function. This sermon was originally preached on January 30th, 2011 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Community & The Gospel
Practical Ecclesiology Series | Selected Texts | Pastor Duane Smets
This week is an systematic theology sermon on the topic of community. Various texts are looked at for the exegetical insight on the reason and source for community, particularly Genesis 1:26 and Ephesians 2:13-22. Special attention is given to God being a Trinity, God’s intention and work of creating a people for himself and what Jesus has done to enable that to truly take place. This sermon was originally preached on January 9th, 2011 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Jesus Mission
Matthew Series | Matthew 28:16-20 | Pastor Duane Smets
This week is an exegetical sermon on Matthew 28:16-20 where Jesus gives his followers final instructions of what he wants and expects after his desparture. The authority, vision, plan and promise of the mission Jesus’ gives is emphasized. This sermon was originally preached on January 2nd, 2011 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Carols Of Advent
This series covers a look at four different Christmas carols and relevant biblical texts which coincide with themes of advent. In total there are 4 sermons preached in December of 2010 at The Resolved Church, San Diego, CA.
Audio & Manuscripts Below
The Prophecy Candle of Hope | “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
The Bethlehem Candle of Humility | “O Little Town Of Bethlehem”
The Shepherds Candle of Joy | “Joy To The World”
The Angels Candle of Peace | “Angels We Have Heard On High”
