The Renew Church Canada Podcast

Is Living the Way of the Cross Truly Worth It? / Keeping Up With the Corinthians Week 15

In this message, Elder Darcy MacCallum tackles a haunting question many believers quietly carry: is living the way of the cross really worth it? Walking through 1 Corinthians 15, he shows how denying or softening the resurrection guts the gospel and leaves our faith, sacrifice, and suffering feeling futile and “in vain.” But if Christ is truly risen, then every act of obedience—even costly, hidden faithfulness—is loaded with eternal meaning. Our future resurrection in real, renewed bodies guarantees that following Jesus now, in the way of the cross, is absolutely worth it.

ABOUT THE SERIES
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture that pulls us in every direction? This 16-week journey through 1 Corinthians explores everything from spiritual gifts and the nature of love to the reality of the resurrection. Discover how God builds a unified, holy people out of a collection of beautifully imperfect lives.

We meet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings at Cineplex Cinemas, 1175 Maple Ave, Milton. We'd love to meet you and invite you to join us there!

Speaking Up, Staying Silent, and Following Scripture / Keeping Up With the Corinthians Week 14

In a church obsessed with spiritual status, Paul calls the Corinthians back to a simple question: does what we do in worship actually build others up? This week, guest speaker Nathan Bryant unpacks 1 Corinthians 14 to show how gifts like tongues and prophecy were meant for clarity, not chaos, and why love and order must govern our gatherings. He also tackles the controversial issue of women speaking and teaching in the assembly, urging us to let Scripture—not culture or preference—set the pattern for church life. This message invites us to examine when we should speak, when we should be silent, and how to submit all of it to God’s Word.

ABOUT THE SERIES
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture that pulls us in every direction? This 16-week journey through 1 Corinthians explores everything from spiritual gifts and the nature of love to the reality of the resurrection. Discover how God builds a unified, holy people out of a collection of beautifully imperfect lives.

We meet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings at Cineplex Cinemas, 1175 Maple Ave, Milton. We'd love to meet you and invite you to join us there!

Love: The More Excellent Way / Keeping Up With the Corinthians Week 13

In this message from 1 Corinthians 13, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky shows why love is “the more excellent way” that outweighs even the flashiest spiritual gifts and most radical sacrifices. He explains biblical agape as a willful, self-giving commitment to another’s good, not a fleeting emotion or cultural sentimentality. Walking through Paul’s descriptions of love—patient, kind, truthful, enduring—he contrasts God-shaped love with common counterfeit motivations like pride, guilt, and control. Ultimately, he calls believers to be genuinely transformed by God’s love so that everything we do flows from His self-giving heart.

ABOUT THE SERIES
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture that pulls us in every direction? This 16-week journey through 1 Corinthians explores everything from spiritual gifts and the nature of love to the reality of the resurrection. Discover how God builds a unified, holy people out of a collection of beautifully imperfect lives.

We meet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings at Cineplex Cinemas, 1175 Maple Ave, Milton. We'd love to meet you and invite you to join us there!

The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts: Serving the Common Good / Keeping Up with the Corinthians Week 12

From the mystery of "sign gifts" to the practical dynamics of a healthy community, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky tackles the questions we often hesitate to ask about the Holy Spirit’s work. In this look at 1 Corinthians 12, we move past the debate of who has which gift and into the much more vital question: how do we actually function as one body? Whether you feel like a "hand" or a "spleen," you’ll discover why your unique contribution is the very thing someone else is missing. Join us to learn how to stop comparing and start impacting the people God has placed in your life.

ABOUT THE SERIES
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture that pulls us in every direction? This 16-week journey through 1 Corinthians explores everything from spiritual gifts and the nature of love to the reality of the resurrection. Discover how God builds a unified, holy people out of a collection of beautifully imperfect lives.

We meet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings at Cineplex Cinemas, 1175 Maple Ave, Milton. We'd love to meet you and invite you to join us there!

Men, Women, and Worship: Recovering God’s Design in a Confused Age / Keeping Up with the Corinthians Week 11

What do head coverings, shaved heads, angels, and shared communion cups have to do with modern worship? In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul tackles men and women in worship, authority and submission, and the meaning of the Lord’s Supper in ways that collide with today’s gender confusion and church culture. In this week’s message, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky explores how God’s good design for order, gender, and gathered worship still speaks powerfully into our lives. Week 11 of “Keeping Up with the Corinthians” presses us to ask: will we take our cues from Scripture or from the culture around us?

ABOUT THE SERIES
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture that pulls us in every direction? This 16-week journey through 1 Corinthians explores everything from spiritual gifts and the nature of love to the reality of the resurrection. Discover how God builds a unified, holy people out of a collection of beautifully imperfect lives.

We meet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings at Cineplex Cinemas, 1175 Maple Ave, Milton. We'd love to meet you and invite you to join us there!

The Three Sins of Idolatry: How to Escape the Temptation Before You Fall / Keeping Up with the Corinthians Week 10

1 Corinthians 10: In this powerful message, Pastor Bartley Sawatsky unpacks how the ancient history of Israel serves as a strict warning for Christians navigating today's culture. Discover the three distinct sins of idolatry—sexual immorality, testing Christ, and grumbling—that threaten to pull your heart away from God and disqualify you from His blessings. Learn how to actively guard yourself against these demonic traps and embrace the faithful way of escape that preserves your integrity before you fall.

ABOUT THE SERIES
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture that pulls us in every direction? This 16-week journey through 1 Corinthians explores everything from spiritual gifts and the nature of love to the reality of the resurrection. Discover how God builds a unified, holy people out of a collection of beautifully imperfect lives.

We meet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings at Cineplex Cinemas, 1175 Maple Ave, Milton. We'd love to meet you and invite you to join us there!

Strength Under Control: The Spiritual Power of Laying Down Your Rights / Keeping Up With the Corinthians Week 9

In a culture obsessed with defending our rights, what if real spiritual power is found in giving them up? Walking through 1 Corinthians 9, Pastor Marek shows how Paul voluntarily lays down legitimate rights—not because he’s weak, but because his strength is under control for the sake of the gospel. This message presses us to ask which “rights” we’re clinging to—being angry, being right, guarding our time—that may be sabotaging our witness. Discover how surrendering these rights can actually deepen your freedom, reshape your relationships, and help others see Jesus more clearly through your life.

ABOUT THE SERIES
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture that pulls us in every direction? This 16-week journey through 1 Corinthians explores everything from spiritual gifts and the nature of love to the reality of the resurrection. Discover how God builds a unified, holy people out of a collection of beautifully imperfect lives.

We meet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings at Cineplex Cinemas, 1175 Maple Ave, Milton. We'd love to meet you and invite you to join us there!

Navigating the Grey Areas: Halal, Halloween, and Hot Yoga / Keeping Up With the Corinthians Week 8

In week 8 of “Keeping Up with the Corinthians,” Lead Pastor Bartley Sawatsky unpacks 1 Corinthians 8 and the surprisingly practical issue of food offered to idols. He shows how Paul shifts the focus from being “right” in our knowledge to being loving in how we use our freedoms. From halal meat and alcohol to yoga, Halloween, and social media, Bartley explores modern grey areas where our choices can either build others up or cause them to stumble. In a culture full of spiritual landmines, this message calls us to gladly lay down our rights for the sake of weaker brothers and sisters—and for the honour of Christ.

ABOUT THE SERIES
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture that pulls us in every direction? This 16-week journey through 1 Corinthians explores everything from spiritual gifts and the nature of love to the reality of the resurrection. Discover how God builds a unified, holy people out of a collection of beautifully imperfect lives.

We meet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings at Cineplex Cinemas, 1175 Maple Ave, Milton. We'd love to meet you and invite you to join us there!

Why Christians Won’t Shut Up About Sex / Keeping Up with the Corinthians Week 7

This week, Pastor Bartley continues our series, Keeping Up with the Corinthians, by unpacking why Christians make such a big deal about sex and how God’s design for sexuality impacts every part of our lives. Walking through 1 Corinthians 7, he explores practical principles for marriage, singleness, divorce, and sexual intimacy that call us to honor God with our bodies and relationships.

ABOUT THE SERIES
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture that pulls us in every direction? This 16-week journey through 1 Corinthians explores everything from spiritual gifts and the nature of love to the reality of the resurrection. Discover how God builds a unified, holy people out of a collection of beautifully imperfect lives.

We meet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings at Cineplex Cinemas, 1175 Maple Ave, Milton. We'd love to meet you and invite you to join us there!

Not Your Body, Not Your Choice / Keeping Up with the Corinthians Week 6

In a culture that fiercely defends the maxim "my body, my choice," Pastor Bartley Sawatsky offers a radical, counter-cultural reality check: You are not your own. If you are a follower of Jesus, your body is a temple bought with the highest price imaginable.

In this message, we dive into 1 Corinthians 6 to see how this one truth changes everything—from how we handle legal disputes to how we view our private lives.

ABOUT THE SERIES
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture that pulls us in every direction? This 16-week journey through 1 Corinthians explores everything from spiritual gifts and the nature of love to the reality of the resurrection. Discover how God builds a unified, holy people out of a collection of beautifully imperfect lives.

We meet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings at Cineplex Cinemas, 1175 Maple Ave, Milton. We'd love to meet you and invite you to join us there!