Ekklesia Christian Life Fellowship

The list below contain the outlines of Pastor McCowan's sermons.

 

Sermon List
Date Title Sermons
Jan. 4, 2014
Blood Moon Hypothesis - Later this year during both Passover and Tabernacles (Sukkoth)—two of Israel’s most important convocations, there will be full lunar eclipses on each of these holidays. In fact, next year the same thing will happen again. This has caused some to believe that something special is about to happen. Pastor McCowan analysized this conclusion and whether or not that these “blood moon” (lunar eclipses) might be the fulfillment of Joel 2:31 and end-time eschatological hope. Outline, Bulletin
Jan. 11, 2014 The Persecuted Church - Just recently, OpenDoors Ministry has released their World Watch List for 2014. The (WWL) is a ranking of 50 countries where persecution of Christians for religious reason is the most severe. While North Korea once again tops the list, 18 of the top 20 countries are Islamic. While religious intolerance is never good, Jesus tells us not to be surprised of such things. In fact there is a war going on between light and darkness that affects us all and puts our faith to the test. Pastor McCowan will shared how we should respond to this reality. Outline, Bulletin.
Feb. 8, 2014 High Places - Pastor McCowan's sermon was entitled, “High Places” and covered the time of Israel’s past when the people of God were tempted to not only worship idols, but to serve God amiss as well. The theme of ther sermon was to show how God is looking for a people who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. Outline, Bulletin.
Feb. 22, 2014 High Places (Part II) - Pastor McCowan will continued his series on High Places and how important it is to not only worship the right God, but also worship the right God in the right way. His sermon focueds on the nature of the church and how we as believers in Christ are being joined together to become a holy temple in the Lord. Outline, Bulletin.
Mar. 1, 2014 The Year of the Ark - Pastor McCowan will speak tonight on the subject of arks and how there is actually a flood of arks being built all around world. Moreover, the largest these arks is being planned right here in Northern Kentucky and will when finished cost over $73 million. The nice thing about arks is that they save us from floods. However, what does one do when they find themselves in a flood of trouble? Outline, Bulletin.
Mar. 15, 2014 The Bald Truth about Fear - Pastor McCowan shared about how Jesus cares about bald men and that there is no need to fear about the future because God has everything under control. Outline, Bulletin.
Mar. 22, 2014 The Bislett Effect - In Oslo, Norway there is a sports stadium that has seen more world records than any other sports venue in the world—65 in all. Yet there is a reason for this phenomena and it is called “The Bislett Effect.” Pastor McCowan shared not only what is the Bislett Effect, but also how it can apply to us as members of Christ’s body. Outline, Bulletin.
April 5, 2014 Consider the Ketchup Bottle - For more than 200 years, ketchup was a disgusting, toxic mix until Henry J. Heinz made a pure variety that he sold in clear glass bottles, showing the public exactly what was inside. That transparency made Heinz an iconic brand. That same kind of transparency works in Christians as well when we persevere during times of trials.Outline, Bulletin.
April 12, 2014 The Quirky Truth - A new book reveals the strange and quirky truths behind everyday life. But how quirky is it for a Messiah to be riding a donkey? Outline, Bulletin.
April 19, 2014 Live Longer, Live better - Today, there are more Centenarians (people 100 years old and older) than ever before in modern history. However, long life doesn’t always mean better life. But when the Apostle Paul speaks of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and how it is the guarantee of our own, he is not only talking about eternal life, but better life as well. Outline, Bulletin.
May 3, 2014 Leaving Your Country - More people are renouncing their U.S. citizenship than ever. In the first three quarters of 2013 more left the country than in all of 2011, the previous record. It's a strange thing -- leaving the country of your birth. That's why Jesus spends some time talking about this issue when he reminds the disciples that they've been given citizenship in another country, i.e. God's country. Outline, Bulletin.
May 24, 2014 Through the Valley - We’re all probably familiar with Psalm 23 with its still waters and green pastures. However, the text also includes a valley described as the “valley of the shadow of death.” Pastor McCowan gave us an explanation on how these words might actually give us encouragement. It’s not because we shouldn’t be afraid of death, but because has promised to go with us even through the valley. Outline, Bulletin.
May 31, 2014 Walking in the Spirit: a GPS for your soul. It has often been said that the line between crazy and brilliant is a very thin one. For instance, today we have an inventor who has built into a pair of leather shoes a GPS that with blinking lights directs us while we walk to find our intended destination. Crazy or brillant? You decide. But doesn’t God already provide something like this to those who belong to Jesus Christ? Outline, Bulletin.
June 7, 2014 Ekklesia - Pastor McCowan shared a slide show presentation of several of the many good times we enjoyed at The CROSSing and how God’s used this facility to be a blessing for us as a congregation. However, as we know, God does not live in a building made by hands, but chooses to dwell in the midst of people. So then, whereever we go as a church, we know God will be with us—because we are the body of Christ. Bulletin.
June 14, 2014 Stones & Bones - The structural integrity of the Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Bath, England, is threatened because it sits on too many bones. For over 1,300 years, the basement has been the resting place of some 6,000 parishioners. Now the very foundation of the church is in jeopardy and if something is not done soon the whole church building could crumble. Is there a lesson here? Outline, Bulletin.
June 28, 2014 Satisfaction - At one time flying on airlines ranked high on the index of customer satisfaction, but like many modern marvels the novelty wore off and the imperfections became all the more obvious. Combine this with a little mismanagement and a fall in standards; no wonder people’s opinions have changed. Analysing the church at Corinth, Pastor McCowan shared how the church of today can raise its standards and increase our customer satisfaction.Outline, Bulletin.
July 19, 2014 Epignosis - Pastor McCowan continued his topic on False Prophets and share how we as Christians can make ourselves less susceptible to their smooth talk and flattery. The key, according to Pastor McCowan, is found in the Greek word epignosis, which is translated in our Bibles as knowledge, or full and complete understanding. However, the means in which to obtain this knowledge might surprise us. Outline, Bulletin.
July 26, 2014 G-Rations - Every soldier since the beginning of time has complained about his or her field rations, whether it's C-Rations, MREs, Long Range Patrol Meals (LRPs) or manna and quail. However, all good soldiers know it’s not all about the taste, but it’s about the mission. The title of this sermon from Pastor McCowan is “G-Rations: if we had only died in Egypt.” Outline, Bulletin.
Aug. 2, 2014 Honesty: Is it always the best policy? - Lying is a lot of work, and does terrible damage to our relationships with God and our neighbors. Outline, Bulletin.
Aug. 9, 2014 Change: Finding our lsland of stability. Sally McCowan shared a message entitled, “Finding our “Island of Stability” in an ever-changing World. From his book, “Future Shock”, author Alvin Toffler wrote that when people go through times of rapid change, they need what he calls “islands of stability”. Outline, Bulletin.
Aug. 16, 2014 Guiding Principles - Justin Bieber is a talented young man, but he's been known to get into a few scrapes with the law or media. Yet, he's not a fellow without some guiding principles -- principles that have been instilled in him with help from his mother and his manager. So what gives? Why have his guiding principles on occasion failed him? Outline, Bulletin.
Aug. 23, 2014 Don't Vex the Vegans - Today in our society there is a culture war going on between vegans v. carnivores. In fact, it is an all out “food fight.” Interestingly enough, this controversy is nothing new. According to the Epistle of Romans, it was an issue in the 1st Century church. Pastor McCowan spoke on this topic and shared how the Apostle Pau addressed this issue. Outline, Bulletin.
Aug. 30, 2014 Optimism and the Brain - According to a recent study published in Nature Neuroscience, optimism could be the result of a brain defect more than anything else. If that is the case, then the Apostle Paul had some major handicaps, as not only was he a man of great faith, but a man of great hope as well. So much so, that in a letter to the Corinthians, he says, he does not lose heart. Pastor McCowan spoke of this issue and why the Apostle Paul was so hopeful in spite of his circumstances. Outline, Bulletin.
Sep. 6, 2014 Faith Creation & Spiritual Growth - Grant Harrison had a brainstorm one day, as he was working at the Innovation Center at the Humana health-benefits company in Louisville, Kentucky. What he did was pretty remarkable that put into motion and changed the way Hu-mana Insurance looked at itself. Perhaps there is a lesson for us too in how we look at ourselves as the church. Outline, Bulletin.
Sep. 13, 2014 Norishment for Body & Soul (Jamie McCowan)- There is something that is so vital for every Christian, we can't live without it. In fact, if we don't follow this one principle we could very well be the ones re-sponsible for our own physical illnesses and spiritual decay. Outline, Bulletin.
Sep. 20, 2014 Opportunities & Possibilities - Pastor McCowan spoke on the subject of covenants and how Ekklesia’s form and function revolve around fulfilling God’s covenant of love and grace through Jesus Christ. Also, because of our structure, Pastor McCowan also discussed what opportunities and possibilities exist for our fellowship. Outline, Bulletin.
Oct. 4, 2014 The Staight Path - If you like walking, you would have loved the late 1800s when walking was a sport. Professional pedestrians packed America's arenas. People paid good money to watch walkers promenade in circles. Today, most of us, at times, feel as though we're walking in circles. Pastor McCowan spoke on how we can break out of walking in circles and make for God straight paths. Outline, Bulletin.
Oct. 11, 2014 The Inviting God - In the Ivory Coast there is a church that holds the record as the world’s largest church. It holds 18,000 people. However, virtually no one attends. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us a story of a king who hosts a banquet and no one comes as well. The king was not happy. The title of Pastor McCowan’s sermon was “The Inviting God.”Outline, Bulletin.
Oct. 18, 2014 Alarm Fatigue - In Muting or turning off the alarm of a medical device in a hospital room is risky. Turning off the alarms God has given us for our lives is even more dangerous. The title of Pastor McCowan sermon tonight was “Alarm Fatigue.” Outline, Bulletin.
Nov. 1, 2014 A Wall Against the Water - The Japanese are building the biggest anti-tsunami barrier in history. The seawall will stretch for 230 miles and cost almost $8 billion. But will it be enough? When the ancient Israelites prepared to cross the Jordan, they too, needed a barrier against the water. Sometimes, we do, too. Outline, Bulletin.
Nov. 15, 2014 Decision Fatigue - We live in a very frustrating world. In fact, just going to the grocery store can be vexing as there’s numerous choices we have to make simply because there is so much variety. Not only this, but our young people now have over 2,100 career options in which they can choose from for their professional job path. Pastor McCowan spoke on the subject of how to handle decision anxiety and put our faith in the God that can give us direction and peace. Outline, Bulletin.
Nov. 22, 2014 The Great Gates of Praise - Some of the greatest sites and cities in the world are entered through famous gates. The only gate that matters, however, is the one that leads us into the presence of God with praise! Outline, Bulletin.
Dec. 6th, 2014 The Messianic Secret - Long novels are making a comeback. This brings us, by contrast, to the shortest of the gospels, Mark. In just seven verses of today's text, the writer gives us a breathtaking summary of the person, work and life of Jesus Christ. Outline, Bulletin.
Dec. 13, 2014 Geniuses Wanted? The World Genius Directory claims to be the definitive ranking of truly smart people. We're talking truly intimidating IQ's. You'd think that these are the kind of people Jesus would have chosen as his disciples. Yeah. Not so much. Outline, Bulletin.
Dec. 20, 2014 The Power of Light - In a narrow canyon in Norway, a little village didn't get a whole lot of sunlight. But one day that changed. "Those who lived in a land of deep darkness" were brought into the light. It changed their lives and it can change our lives too. Outline, Bulletin.