Alan Smith‘s Podcasts

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 101 - Chapter 18-19 - Ephesus - Part 2

Lesson 101 continues our Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's writings, covering Acts 18 to 19 with a focus on Ephesus. This teaching tracks Paul's third missionary journey, then follows Apollos in Ephesus as a strong, Scripture-rooted speaker who still needed fuller instruction beyond John's baptism.

You'll also hear why God holds us responsible for the light we've received, how obedience ties to growth, and why humility and mentorship matter in the Church (through Priscilla and Aquila's example). The message closes by clarifying key ways Scripture speaks about the Holy Spirit, including the new birth, baptism into the body, indwelling, sealing, and the ongoing filling of the Spirit.

Subscribe for more Bible teaching through Acts, Paul's letters, and steady, practical discipleship.

#BookOfActs #ApostlePaul #Ephesus #HolySpirit #Church

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 100 - Chapter 18 - Ephesus

Lesson 100 in our Acts study lands in Acts 18 and the start of Paul’s third missionary journey. This session tracks Paul’s route from Ephesus to Caesarea, a visit to the Church in Jerusalem, then on to Antioch, Galatia, and beyond, with one clear purpose: strengthening the disciples.

You’ll also hear a strong call to daily spiritual nourishment, why the Church gathers, and what real strengthening looks like (not hype, but steady growth, endurance, and stability). The teaching closes with Acts 18:24-28 and Apollos in Ephesus, a gifted teacher who knew the Scriptures and the baptism of John but needed fuller instruction.

#Acts #ApostlePaul #BookOfActs #BibleStudy #Church

Thinking - February 1, 2026

Snowy Sunday at New Life Church turned into a timely Sermon on Thinking, clarity, and how believers can know God’s will. This message challenges “borrowed” thoughts and calls the Church to intentional, Bible-shaped thinking that renews the mind (Romans 12:1-2).

You’ll hear practical teaching from key passages, including Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:2, and 2 Corinthians 10:5, on taking thoughts captive, setting your mind on things above, and rejecting vain imaginations. The sermon also draws a sharp line between rude speech and truthful clarity, because real kingdom thinking can bring conviction without cruelty.

If you want a faith-grounded way to think, speak, and live with conviction in a noisy culture, this one’s for you. Subscribe to The Smith and Rowland Show for more messages from New Life Church.

#Church #Thinking #Sermon #ChristianTeaching #BibleStudy

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 99 - Chapter 18 - Paul's Journey Letters

Acts 18 comes alive with practical wisdom for real life. This lesson follows Paul after the courtroom scene in Corinth and into the next stretch of his journey, from public conflict to steady ministry steps.

Key moments include the beating of Sosthenes before Gallio and what that teaches about contempt, public disputes, and the cost of standing too close to someone else’s fight. There’s also clear counsel for believers living in tense times, keep your speech peaceable, tell the truth without exaggeration, don’t repay insult with insult, and trust God with outcomes you can’t control.

The study also tracks Paul’s vow, his disciplined private devotion, and the travel notes that show how long-term faithfulness works, teach, endure, leave well, follow up, repeat. Paul reaches Ephesus, reasons in the synagogue, then moves on with purpose, leaving truth behind and returning when God allows.

#Acts #Paul #BibleStudy #BookOfActs #ChristianDiscipleship

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 98 - Chapter 18 - Gallio - Part 2

Paul in Acts 18 hits a pressure point, and God uses Gallio’s courtroom to keep the gospel moving. This lesson stays close to the text (Acts 18:12-17), showing how a legal precedent can protect ministry, even when the charges are framed as “law” instead of religion.

You’ll also hear a practical warning about chasing “deep” spiritual topics without the understanding to match. The gospel is simple and strong, and it’s easy to lose the point when pride or curiosity takes the lead. The call is clear, stick to the mission, keep the message plain, and let truth shape a steady witness.

If you want Bible teaching that connects Acts to everyday Christian life, subscribe and follow the series. New lessons are posted regularly.

#Acts #Paul #Gallio #BibleTeaching #ChristianSermon

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 97 - Chapter 18 - Gallio - January 5, 2025

Obedience comes before empowerment. In this lesson from Acts 18 (Lesson 97), see how Jesus’ words in Luke 24 set the pattern: start where he says, move when he says, and trust God to meet you there.

This session follows Paul in Corinth as he faces rejection, keeps preaching, and receives a night vision that gives him clear direction: don’t fear, speak up, and stay steady because the Lord is with him. You’ll also see why Paul remained in the city for a year and six months, and how the mission of the Great Commission brings unity to the church when it stays central.

The teaching closes with Paul brought before Gallio, a tense moment that shows how fast pressure can rise, and why accusations, suspicion, and religious games can’t be allowed to steer the church off course.

#BookOfActs #ApostlePaul #Acts18 #BibleStudy #ChristianTeaching

The Mission - December 28, 2025

Last Sunday of the year, one clear word for 2026, the Church has a Mission. This message calls Christians back to the Great Commission, not as a slogan, but as the daily work of making disciples through the power and presence of Jesus.

You’ll hear a direct challenge to stay on mission, keep unity tied to the mission, and measure success by faithfulness, not a scoreboard. The message also shares a practical next step for our Church family, including expanded Sunday morning classes and a proposed building addition to support discipleship, prayer, baptism, and ministry for the next generation.

If you’re hungry for a focused, Bible-shaped view of Christianity and what the Church is meant to do, this is for you.

#Mission #Christianity #Church #GreatCommission #Discipleship

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 96 - Chapter 18 - Paul at Corinth

Acts 18 puts you on the road with Paul as he leaves Athens and arrives in Corinth, a city known for wealth, trade, and open sin. This teaching tracks the second missionary journey, the move from synagogue preaching to a growing Gentile mission, and the key people God used along the way, including Aquila and Priscilla.

You’ll also see how Acts connects with Paul’s earliest letters. From Corinth, Paul writes 1 and 2 Thessalonians, giving the church clarity on holy living, steady hope, and the difference between the day of Christ and the day of the Lord. The message lands close to home too, sin still has patterns, and the call to live set apart still stands.

#Acts #Paul #Corinth #BibleStudy #BookOfActs

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 95 - Chapter 17-18 - Athens - Part 2

Christmas service teaching from the Book of Acts with Paul in Athens at Mars Hill (Acts 17:29-34). This message covers repentance, God’s patience and grace, and why the resurrection of Jesus brings real accountability before God. You’ll also hear a prayer for healing and protection as sickness spreads through the community, plus a clear warning about trading moral responsibility for intellectual excuses.

The teaching closes by setting the stage for Acts 18, Paul’s move from Athens to Corinth, and the early foundation he laid for new believers.

#Acts #Paul #Jesus #BibleStudy #ChristmasService

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 94 - Chapter 17 - Athens

The presence of God is not a theory in the Bible, it is meant to be a daily reality. In this message from the book of Acts, we look at how God’s presence, grace, and power work in the mind and spirit of a believer. Learn why awareness of His presence matters more than outward behavior, how fear of God keeps our hearts clean, and why the early church in Acts is the pattern for our walk with Jesus today.

We also walk through how Acts links Israel, the church, and the Holy Spirit, why the Holy Spirit is the mark of this age of grace, and what it means to wait on God instead of chasing spiritual shortcuts. If you long for a deeper encounter with Jesus and a clearer sense of His presence in your daily life, this teaching will help you anchor that desire in Scripture and truth.

If this message helps you, share it with a friend and subscribe for more verse-by-verse teaching through the Bible.

#Acts #BibleTeaching #HolySpirit #Jesus #PresenceOfGod