Bethlehem Lutheran Church Podcast This podcast is made available from Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Saint Cloud, MN Wed, 23 Sep 2026 20:15:11 EDT en-us https://www.bethlehemlutheran.org/ Bethlehem Lutheran Church All Rights Reserved by Sermon's Author Sermons from Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St Cloud MN no Sermon audio from the previous Sunday's service. For more information visit http://www.bethlehemlutheran.org Sermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olsonblchurch@bethlehemlutheran.orgBethlehem Lutheran Church "Found" -- Sermon from September 19, 2026 Pastor Stephanie Christoffels Sat, 19 Sep 2026 18:00:00 EST Pastor Stephanie continues our introduction to our theme for this year: Belonging. It’s hard to find belonging when we fee lost or when others are telling us we are lost. In our Focus Text this week, Jesus uses Parables to reassure us that we always have a place in God's love even when we feel lost and with that reassurance we find belonging that was there for us all along.

]]> false http://archive.org/download/sermon-09192026/Sermon_09192026.mp3 00:13:00 blchurch@bethlehemlutheran.org (Bethlehem Lutheran Church)Pastor Stephanie continues our introduction to our theme for this year: Belonging. It’s hard to find belonging when we fee lost or when others are telling us we are lost. In our Focus Text this week, Jesus uses Parables to reassure us that we always have a place in God's love even when we feel lost and with that reassurance we find belonging that was there for us all along.Pastor Stephanie continues our introduction to our theme for this year: Belonging. It’s hard to find belonging when we fee lost or when others are telling us we are lost. In our Focus Text this week, Jesus uses Parables to reassure us that we always have a place in God's love even when we feel lost and with that reassurance we find belonging that was there for us all along.Sermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olson "Belonging" -- Sermon from September 12, 2026 Pastor Chad Peterson Sat, 12 Sep 2026 18:00:00 EST Pastor Chad kicks off the new theme for this School Year: Belonging! We have lots of places we belong: gym memberships, fan clubs, rewards programs, online communities, professional groups, nonprofit organizations, churches, and more. But do any of those places offer a true sense of belonging? You may have gained access to an exclusive curated event for coffee lovers in exchange for your email address and weekly purchases but does the coffee chain know more than your name and spending habits? We create and find belonging when we take the time to listen, share, serve, wonder, laugh, learn, and make room for one another’s lives in our circle.

You'll need this link for this week's challenge to Choose ONE Circle of Belonging: https://www.bethlehemlutheran.org/Circles-of-Belonging

]]> false http://archive.org/download/sermon-09122026_202609/Sermon_09122026.mp3 00:19:00 blchurch@bethlehemlutheran.org (Bethlehem Lutheran Church)Pastor Chad kicks off the new theme for this School Year: Belonging! We have lots of places we belong: gym memberships, fan clubs, rewards programs, online communities, professional groups, nonprofit organizations, churches, and more. But do any of those places offer a true sense of belonging? You may have gained access to an exclusive curated event for coffee lovers in exchange for your email address and weekly purchases but does the coffee chain know more than your name and spending habits? We create and find belonging when we take the time to listen, share, serve, wonder, laugh, learn, and make room for one another’s lives in our circle. You'll need this link for this week's challenge to Choose ONE Circle of Belonging: https://www.bethlehemlutheran.org/Circles-of-BelongingPastor Chad kicks off the new theme for this School Year: Belonging! We have lots of places we belong: gym memberships, fan clubs, rewards programs, online communities, professional groups, nonprofit organizations, churches, and more. But do any of those places offer a true sense of belonging? You may have gained access to an exclusive curated event for coffee lovers in exchange for your email address and weekly purchases but does the coffee chain know more than your name and spending habits? We create and find belonging when we take the time to listen, share, serve, wonder, laugh, learn, and make room for one another’s lives in our circle. You'll need this link for this week's challenge to Choose ONE Circle of Belonging: https://www.bethlehemlutheran.org/Circles-of-BelongingSermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olson "At Last" -- Sermon from September 5, 2026 Pastor Chad Peterson Sat, 05 Sep 2026 18:00:00 EST As we wrap up our “AGAPe: When Love is Greater” we have a Focus Text which ties this greater love into our theme that begins next week: Belonging. Jesus is praying for his disciples shortly before his arrest and crucifixion. Pastor Chad invites us to pay attention to the ‘last things’ people do & say because the often reveal their ‘first things’ the things that are at the top of the list of importance. One of Jesus’ last things is this prayer what does it reveal as important: love and unity. He is praying that the disciples and those that follow (that’s us!) might come together under the unifying power of God’s love to find belonging! ]]> false http://archive.org/download/sermon-09052026/Sermon_09052026.mp3 00:20:00 blchurch@bethlehemlutheran.org (Bethlehem Lutheran Church)As we wrap up our “AGAPe: When Love is Greater” we have a Focus Text which ties this greater love into our theme that begins next week: Belonging. Jesus is praying for his disciples shortly before his arrest and crucifixion. Pastor Chad invites us to pay attention to the ‘last things’ people do & say because the often reveal their ‘first things’ the things that are at the top of the list of importance. One of Jesus’ last things is this prayer what does it reveal as important: love and unity. He is praying that the disciples and those that follow (that’s us!) might come together under the unifying power of God’s love to find belonging!As we wrap up our “AGAPe: When Love is Greater” we have a Focus Text which ties this greater love into our theme that begins next week: Belonging. Jesus is praying for his disciples shortly before his arrest and crucifixion. Pastor Chad invites us to pay attention to the ‘last things’ people do & say because the often reveal their ‘first things’ the things that are at the top of the list of importance. One of Jesus’ last things is this prayer what does it reveal as important: love and unity. He is praying that the disciples and those that follow (that’s us!) might come together under the unifying power of God’s love to find belonging!Sermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olson "Branches" -- Sermon from August 29, 2026 Pastor Stephanie Christoffels Sat, 29 Aug 2026 18:00:00 EST For many amateur gardeners and arborists pruning can be stressful. What if I cut off the wrong branch or cut off too many flowers? We can encounter the same stress when we look to ‘prune’ our lives back. What if cut off the wrong person or stop doing the wrong thing? In our Focus Text Jesus reminds us that God is the one responsible for pruning. As long as we remain connected to Jesus we will bear fruit like AGAPe Love.

]]> false http://archive.org/download/sermon-08292026/Sermon_08292026.mp3 00:10:00 blchurch@bethlehemlutheran.org (Bethlehem Lutheran Church)For many amateur gardeners and arborists pruning can be stressful. What if I cut off the wrong branch or cut off too many flowers? We can encounter the same stress when we look to ‘prune’ our lives back. What if cut off the wrong person or stop doing the wrong thing? In our Focus Text Jesus reminds us that God is the one responsible for pruning. As long as we remain connected to Jesus we will bear fruit like AGAPe Love.For many amateur gardeners and arborists pruning can be stressful. What if I cut off the wrong branch or cut off too many flowers? We can encounter the same stress when we look to ‘prune’ our lives back. What if cut off the wrong person or stop doing the wrong thing? In our Focus Text Jesus reminds us that God is the one responsible for pruning. As long as we remain connected to Jesus we will bear fruit like AGAPe Love.Sermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olson "Silence" -- Sermon from August 22, 2026 Pastor Stephanie Christoffels Sat, 22 Aug 2026 18:00:00 EST We sometimes find it difficult to sit in silence. We are so conditioned to the busyness and noise of modern life that when we encounter silence we assume something is wrong. In our Focus Text the Psalm writer shares a command from God to: “Be Still and Know that I am God.” If we can learn to appreciate the silence, we will find God is there even when the world around us is in chaos.  ]]> false http://archive.org/download/sermon-08222026/Sermon_08222026.mp3 00:12:00 blchurch@bethlehemlutheran.org (Bethlehem Lutheran Church)We sometimes find it difficult to sit in silence. We are so conditioned to the busyness and noise of modern life that when we encounter silence we assume something is wrong. In our Focus Text the Psalm writer shares a command from God to: “Be Still and Know that I am God.” If we can learn to appreciate the silence, we will find God is there even when the world around us is in chaos. We sometimes find it difficult to sit in silence. We are so conditioned to the busyness and noise of modern life that when we encounter silence we assume something is wrong. In our Focus Text the Psalm writer shares a command from God to: “Be Still and Know that I am God.” If we can learn to appreciate the silence, we will find God is there even when the world around us is in chaos. Sermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olson "Ascertain" -- Sermon from August 15, 2026 Pastor Chad Peterson Sat, 15 Aug 2026 18:00:00 EST Are you absolutely certain? Sometimes we get an idea or a memory so stuck in our minds we convince ourselves that it is undeniably true. In our Focus Text this week Jesus challenges the understanding of both the Pharisees and the Disciples. The Pharisees were looking for a sign from Heaven, even though Jesus had performed many miracles including feeding multitudes of people. The problem is they were too certain of what a sign from Heaven would look like they missed what was right in front of them. The Disciples were certain the one loaf of bread they brought wasn’t enough even though Jesus had just fed thousands with 7 loaves. When we are too certain we understand we can’t ascertain that with God there are possibilities that cannot yet see. ]]> false http://archive.org/download/sermon-08152026/Sermon_08152026.mp3 00:17:00 blchurch@bethlehemlutheran.org (Bethlehem Lutheran Church)Are you absolutely certain? Sometimes we get an idea or a memory so stuck in our minds we convince ourselves that it is undeniably true. In our Focus Text this week Jesus challenges the understanding of both the Pharisees and the Disciples. The Pharisees were looking for a sign from Heaven, even though Jesus had performed many miracles including feeding multitudes of people. The problem is they were too certain of what a sign from Heaven would look like they missed what was right in front of them. The Disciples were certain the one loaf of bread they brought wasn’t enough even though Jesus had just fed thousands with 7 loaves. When we are too certain we understand we can’t ascertain that with God there are possibilities that cannot yet see.Are you absolutely certain? Sometimes we get an idea or a memory so stuck in our minds we convince ourselves that it is undeniably true. In our Focus Text this week Jesus challenges the understanding of both the Pharisees and the Disciples. The Pharisees were looking for a sign from Heaven, even though Jesus had performed many miracles including feeding multitudes of people. The problem is they were too certain of what a sign from Heaven would look like they missed what was right in front of them. The Disciples were certain the one loaf of bread they brought wasn’t enough even though Jesus had just fed thousands with 7 loaves. When we are too certain we understand we can’t ascertain that with God there are possibilities that cannot yet see.Sermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olson "True Love" -- Sermon from August 8, 2026 Pastor Stephanie Christoffels Sat, 08 Aug 2026 18:00:00 EST Love is a verb. It isn't just a feeling it is an action! That is especially true of the AGAPe love we have focused on for nearly a year now. Our society’s view of love is too often focused on love as a feeling. In the fairytales it is ‘true love’ that solves the problem, but when the feeling fades trouble returns. Our Focus Text from Romans helps us recognize what love as a verb looks like. Jesus taught and modeled this love in action for us as he became like a servant and washed the feet of the disciples who would soon betray him, deny him and abandon him. It is this true ‘True Love’ that makes a real difference in our lives when we put AGAPe love in action!

]]> false http://archive.org/download/sermon-08082026/Sermon_08082026.mp3 00:11:00 blchurch@bethlehemlutheran.org (Bethlehem Lutheran Church)Love is a verb. It isn't just a feeling it is an action! That is especially true of the AGAPe love we have focused on for nearly a year now. Our society’s view of love is too often focused on love as a feeling. In the fairytales it is ‘true love’ that solves the problem, but when the feeling fades trouble returns. Our Focus Text from Romans helps us recognize what love as a verb looks like. Jesus taught and modeled this love in action for us as he became like a servant and washed the feet of the disciples who would soon betray him, deny him and abandon him. It is this true ‘True Love’ that makes a real difference in our lives when we put AGAPe love in action!Love is a verb. It isn't just a feeling it is an action! That is especially true of the AGAPe love we have focused on for nearly a year now. Our society’s view of love is too often focused on love as a feeling. In the fairytales it is ‘true love’ that solves the problem, but when the feeling fades trouble returns. Our Focus Text from Romans helps us recognize what love as a verb looks like. Jesus taught and modeled this love in action for us as he became like a servant and washed the feet of the disciples who would soon betray him, deny him and abandon him. It is this true ‘True Love’ that makes a real difference in our lives when we put AGAPe love in action!Sermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olson "Embrace" -- Sermon from August 1, 2026 Pastor Chad Peterson Sat, 01 Aug 2026 18:00:00 EST Is the Jesus you envision ever angry? In this week’s Focus Text Jesus is indignant, angry, because the disciples are shooing away the kids that are coming to see Jesus. And even worse, he just got done telling them we need to approach God like a child to truly understand God’s vision for Creation. Jesus is angry but what is more important is how and to whom he channels that energy. Instead of taking it out on the disciples, throwing them out of his inner circle, he invites the children they where blocking to join in the circle. The outcasts of society, whose access to community is obstructed by powerful people who believe it’s their duty to gatekeep, are invited into the embrace of God’s love.
]]> false http://archive.org/download/sermon-08012026/Sermon_08012026.mp3 00:19:00 blchurch@bethlehemlutheran.org (Bethlehem Lutheran Church)Is the Jesus you envision ever angry? In this week’s Focus Text Jesus is indignant, angry, because the disciples are shooing away the kids that are coming to see Jesus. And even worse, he just got done telling them we need to approach God like a child to truly understand God’s vision for Creation. Jesus is angry but what is more important is how and to whom he channels that energy. Instead of taking it out on the disciples, throwing them out of his inner circle, he invites the children they where blocking to join in the circle. The outcasts of society, whose access to community is obstructed by powerful people who believe it’s their duty to gatekeep, are invited into the embrace of God’s love.Is the Jesus you envision ever angry? In this week’s Focus Text Jesus is indignant, angry, because the disciples are shooing away the kids that are coming to see Jesus. And even worse, he just got done telling them we need to approach God like a child to truly understand God’s vision for Creation. Jesus is angry but what is more important is how and to whom he channels that energy. Instead of taking it out on the disciples, throwing them out of his inner circle, he invites the children they where blocking to join in the circle. The outcasts of society, whose access to community is obstructed by powerful people who believe it’s their duty to gatekeep, are invited into the embrace of God’s love.Sermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olson "Room" -- Sermon from July 25, 2026 Pastor Stephanie Christoffels Sat, 25 Jul 2026 18:00:00 EST We have all felt unwelcome or out of place from time to time. Remember the difference it makes when someone reaches out and says there is room for you here? That is what the Reign of God is like, we all are invited to find a place to belong in the community of God's children and we are expected to make room for those who are feeling out of place.

]]> false http://archive.org/download/sermon-07252026/Sermon_07252026.mp3 00:11:00 blchurch@bethlehemlutheran.org (Bethlehem Lutheran Church)We have all felt unwelcome or out of place from time to time. Remember the difference it makes when someone reaches out and says there is room for you here? That is what the Reign of God is like, we all are invited to find a place to belong in the community of God's children and we are expected to make room for those who are feeling out of place.We have all felt unwelcome or out of place from time to time. Remember the difference it makes when someone reaches out and says there is room for you here? That is what the Reign of God is like, we all are invited to find a place to belong in the community of God's children and we are expected to make room for those who are feeling out of place.Sermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olson "Building" -- Sermon from July 18, 2026 Pastor Chad Peterson Sat, 18 Jul 2026 18:00:00 EST For those who want to maintain their hold on power and influence the Parables of Jesus turn their world upside down. Even after all the violence and destruction caused by humanity God’s grace continues to call us to be an active part of building up the Kingdom of God in our communities and all around the world.

]]> false http://archive.org/download/sermon-07182026/Sermon_07182026.mp3 00:16:00 blchurch@bethlehemlutheran.org (Bethlehem Lutheran Church)For those who want to maintain their hold on power and influence the Parables of Jesus turn their world upside down. Even after all the violence and destruction caused by humanity God’s grace continues to call us to be an active part of building up the Kingdom of God in our communities and all around the world.For those who want to maintain their hold on power and influence the Parables of Jesus turn their world upside down. Even after all the violence and destruction caused by humanity God’s grace continues to call us to be an active part of building up the Kingdom of God in our communities and all around the world.Sermon,Bethlehem,Lutheran,Church,Saint,Cloud,MN,Minnesota,ELCA,Lectionary,Pastor,Peterson,Pederson,Olson