Westminster Loving God & Neighbour

Latest Podcasts

• A serious historical deep dive into the Nativity (re-release) December 19, 2024
  It’s one of the most famous stories ever told: The birth of Jesus. Shepherds, angels, and hostile Inn-keepers have appeared in thousands of Christmas pageants for hundreds of years. But when we hear something so much, we stop hearing it. Instead of paying more attention, we pay less. This episode is an opportunity for you to slow down […]
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• For he will save his people from their sins (Sermon) December 16, 2024
  The angel told Joseph to name the baby Jesus “for he will save his people from their sins.” What does this mean? Our first thought is often that he will save us from “the consequence of” our sins. And rightly so. He will and he does. On the cross Jesus gets what we deserve, and […]
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• There is Ugliness (a prayer) December 10, 2024
  Join in with this honest prayer during worship by Pastor Ruttan — lifting up to God concerns about ugliness, scariness, fracture and monsters. But also metamorphosis, love and standing valiant for truth.
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• A Colony of Heaven in a Country of Death (Sermon) December 9, 2024
  Give me his head on a platter! And so it happened that the holy man, John the Baptist, was decapitated in prison because of a grudge. This twisted and bloody story is a contrast between two kings and two kingdoms, both then and now. Each day we chose a path in one of two kingdoms: […]
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• Dealing with Rejection (Sermon) December 2, 2024
  Rejection is fun, right? Wrong. And yet, it’s something that many of us have to deal with at some point or another, including those who try to follow Jesus. Anthony was a monk who lived into the fourth century. He said: “A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone […]
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• Listen For It: Save Your [Sermon] November 25, 2024
  Faith isn’t just about pursuing life after death, but life before death. Or, put another way, it’s not just about the after-life, but the during-life. When we think of Jesus as “Saviour” we tend to think about his role after our time on earth. He saves us from the consequence of sin and from being […]
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• Is this the sermon demons don’t want you to hear? November 18, 2024
  This sermon was originally called “Closing doors to demons” and was delivered on November 17, 2024 at Westminster in Barrie. But Pastor Ruttan has changed the title to this: “Is this the sermon demons don’t want you to hear?” He explains why in a short introduction at the start of the message. Some strange things […]
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• How do demons gain access to people? – a talk with Steve Dabbs November 17, 2024
  Demons are disembodied spirits who have rebelled against God. Yes, demons are real, and their work is alive and well. If you’re human, and especially if you’re a follower of Christ, they hate you. We sometimes hear about about demon “possession,” but mostly in movies or horror stories. A more accurate word is “demonization,” and […]
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• How To Achieve World Peace: Step 1 (Sermon) November 11, 2024
  World peace. We all want it. But how do we get there? Is there even any hope when we have had so many wars, when nations (and peoples) continue to fight, and when individuals continue to experience so much anger, anxiety and pain? This sermon examines Philippians 4:2-9 and is about Step 1. We explore […]
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• If you want to actually be like Jesus (Sermon) November 4, 2024
  Let’s pretend that we all get together and decide to imitate someone named Ischyros. Great! Let’s do it! But hold on, there’s a problem. We first need to know what Ischyros is like before we can we imitate him. Christians agree that we want to be “like Jesus.” But if we want to actually be […]
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• Trust God and leave the results to him (Sermon) October 28, 2024
  What do we do when so much seems broken, uncertain or wrong? When things are not turning out like we want, frazzlement and frustration can take over. They make us doubt our decisions. This was something people faced in Jesus’ day too. In this sermon on Mark 4:21-34, we explore three short parables, and how […]
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• How spiritual disciplines help you love others – a talk with Jeff Loach October 24, 2024
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• Why was I born? (Sermon) October 21, 2024
  Are we here by chance, or is there a greater purpose? Many people have tried to answer this question. Some people aren’t sure, despair, or throw their hands up in resignation. Fortunately, Jesus isn’t one of them. The light of the world has things to say about who we are and why we’re here. This […]
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• Our Big Brother Jesus (Sermon) October 14, 2024
  When I was in elementary school a kid kept pestering me—that is, until my big brother came to my defense. I felt… protected. There are a lot of titles for Jesus — like Son of God, Saviour, and Good Shepherd. Each one tells us something about him and the nature of our relationship. Another (frequently […]
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• ‘He Paid Our Debt’ – An illustration to appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice October 10, 2024
  This short episode is the youth time from the service on October 6, 2024. Pastor Ruttan tells a story from Philip Yancey’s book ‘What’s so amazing about grace?’ It was used to help us appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice that we remember when we celebrate Communion.
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• Salvation Before Reputation (Sermon) October 7, 2024
  Jesus’ own family called him crazy. “He’s out of his mind.” But why? He had gathered and led crowds, assembled twelve apostles, healed suffering people, expelled demons from the oppressed, preached about the kingdom of God, and challenged religious authorities. Even though some of those things sound pretty nice, when compared to expectations of ‘normal’ […]
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• Defend your faith by knowing your faith (Sermon) September 29, 2024
  We live in a time when in North America fewer people identify as Christians. We have the stats to prove it. But people aren’t simply becoming apathetic, many are becoming increasingly hostile and antagonistic towards faith. Do you know what to say when someone challenges you? Jesus experienced challenges and confrontations on multiple occasions. This […]
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•  Eden isn’t just in the past (Sermon) September 22, 2024
  Most people tend to think of miracles as some sort of break in the natural order. Jurgen Moltmann has a helpful corrective: “Miracles are not an interruption of the natural order but the restoration of the natural order.” In other words, when Jesus performs miracles he is showing us how things are truly meant to […]
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• Clashing with the Kingdom of Darkness and Demons (Sermon) September 15, 2024
  When Jesus came to proclaim the Kingdom of God he was not doing so in neutral territory. In Satan’s view, Jesus was an intruder trying to encroach on his turf. A clash was inevitable. Some people think there’s a devil under every bush (not true). Others think the devil doesn’t exist (also not true). As […]
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• ‘Think Bigger’ (Sermon) September 9, 2024
  We’ve seen it happen in movies and books over and over again. When all seems lost, a hero arrives, hope is rekindled, victory becomes possible, and everything changes for those who belong to the hero. This is a part of the reason why these movies or books are so interesting. We wonder, ‘If only we […]
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