Since Antioch was founded in 2006, the pursuit of justice has been central to our understanding of the character of God, the gospel of Jesus, and the mission of the church.  Over the years, we have had the privilege of learning from many diverse voices, including some of the most influential justice-seeking thinkers and practitioners in the world.  Below is a collection of sermons given at Antioch that have long shaped our vision of joining God in the reconciliation of all things.

July 25, 2010 | Ken Wytsma

WHY DO A JUSTICE CONFERENCE?

All throughout the Scriptures, God calls his people to pursue justice for the weak and fatherless, the poor and oppressed, the refugee and immigrant.

November 7, 2010 | Matthew Sorens

WELCOMING THE STRANGER

Do you know any immigrants? How does your faith in Christ change the way you think about a complex issue like immigration?

February 13, 2011 | Nicholas Wolterstorff

JUSTICE IN SCRIPTURE

Justice is a fundamental theme in both the Old and New Testaments.

July 31, 2011 | Jenny Yang

THE PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE

What does Christian advocacy look like in the face of injustice and oppression? How does Christ call his people to be a voice for those who don’t have a voice?

February 5, 2012 | Ken Wytsma

JUSTICE AS A THEOLOGICAL NECESSITY

Why does the church need to talk about justice? As truth correlates to what is, so justice correlates to what ought to be.

June 17, 2012 | Richard Twiss

A HISTORY OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NATIVE AMERICANS

How does the gospel of Jesus confront our narrative of American history? Does White + Conservative + Republican = Christian?

June 24, 2012 | Gerry Breshears

Imprecatory Justice

What happens when justice goes bad? What should we do with the anger we feel over the injustices in our lives and the world?

July 29, 2012 | Soong-Chan Rah

Lamentations & Justice

American Christianity has often been marked by triumphalism and the belief that we alone can fix all the world’s problems. But the pursuit of justice more often involves the practices of humility, confession, and lament.

February 2, 2014 | Dr. John Perkins

What Measure of Love is This?

Civil rights legend, Dr. John Perkins, illuminates the connection between the gospel and our call to join God in seeking justice and redeeming the world.

February 22, 2015 | Ken Wytsma

Race, Current Affairs, and Prayer

In the wake of the killing of Michael Brown and the Ferguson protests, we are invited to learn to see the world and pray through the eyes of others.

October 4, 2015 | Ken Wytsma

The Minor Prophets: Amos

There’s a long list of topics that we are not supposed to talk about in church.  But God’s prophetic words often disrupt the status quo and call us to follow Jesus into lives of truth and justice.

February 28, 2016 | Jonathan Brooks

People of God: Living as Exiles

What does it mean to seek the peace and prosperity of our city? Pastor Jonathan Brooks shares his powerful story of living on mission in the Englewood Neighborhood in Chicago.

June 12, 2016 | Pete Kelley

Imago Dei

The Christian belief that all people are made in the image and likeness of God calls us to value all human life – our own, each other’s, black lives, unborn lives, etc.

July 10, 2016 | Ken Wytsma

Going Deeper in the History of Race in America

Following the police shootings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, and the retaliatory killing of five police officers in Dallas, we are invited into a deeper understanding of the history and reality of racism in our country.

July 17, 2016 | Ken Wytsma

The Struggle of Lament

Amidst ongoing racial tensions across our country, what does it look like to cry out to God while sitting in the very real brokenness of the world?

June 6, 2017 | Ken Wytsma

Why Race Matters in our Gospel Conversation

Why are we always talking about race when there are so many other topics to address, especially in a place like Bend, Oregon?

December 3, 2017 | Jer Swigart

Advent: Prince of Peace

Peacemaking is the mission of God and the vocation of God’s people.  God is a Peacemaker who invites his people to join him in restoring shalom in a world of violence.

March 18, 2018 | Jer Swigart

Practicing Reconciliation: Justice

What’s the difference between admiring Jesus and following Jesus? The gospel calls us to move from apathy to compassion to merciful action for the sake of the world.

February 17, 2019 | Rick Gerhardt

The Sixth Commandment: You Shall Not Murder

How does a Christian ethic of life revolutionize the way we engage in complex issues like race, immigration, abortion, and euthanasia?

June 14, 2020 | Pete Kelley with Elena Aronson

Dear White People, Part 2

What is white supremacy and why should we care about it as Christians? We continue on our journey by exploring the “hidden wound” of white supremacy – the fact that racial injustice is harmful to everyone, not just the oppressed.

June 21, 2020 | Pete Kelley with David Bailey

Dear White People, Part 3

Why are we talking about race in Bend, Oregon? Wouldn’t racism go away if we just quit talking about it all the time? Why do we have to talk about race? What are some practices we can adopt individually and as a church that would contribute to both our formation in Christ and the healing of the world he loves?

October 24, 2021 | Pete Kelley

Knowing, Loving, Serving: Justice

In our Biblical Practices series, we look at the centrality of justice and it’s indispensable nature within the character of God and the living out of our faith.