Advertise on podcast: Ebenezer Baptist Church Saskatoon

What does it look like for the church to truly move forward on mission? In Acts 2, we witness one of the most remarkable moments in all of Scripture: the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on the gathered believers like a rushing wind and tongues of fire, launching the church into its God-given purpose. But what makes this passage so compelling is not just the dramatic outpouring of the Spirit. It is the way two powerful forces work together in perfect harmony.

We are a sent people. That is not a suggestion -- it is a call. As we kick off our new series in the book of Acts, Pastor Cal Fong reminded us that the early church did not just learn about the gospel -- they gave their lives to spreading it. And we are invited to do the same. Acts 1:8 lays out a strategic path: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. For us today, that is our family, our neighbors, our coworkers -- and even those we find hardest to love. Especially those. We get off on the right foot by trusting the Holy Spirit, committing to Jesus' plan, and submitting to God's authority. Not out of fear -- but out of love. Join us as we journey through the book of Acts together. What does it mean to be truly sent? Come find out.

Wherever you go, you leave something behind. The way you treat people, what you value, how you respond under pressure -- it all rubs off on those around you. The question is: what does your dust look like?In Matthew 28, Jesus gives his followers one central command -- not just to go, but to make disciples. To help others abide in Christ and take on his character, his ways, and his mission. That is the call for every believer, not just a select few.This Sunday at Ebenezer, we closed out our Becoming Mature series by asking a simple but weighty question: Who are you intentionally building into right now? If you do not have an answer yet, start by asking the Holy Spirit to put a name on your heart.Follow Jesus so closely that his dust covers you -- and then watch it spread to everyone around you.

What if your life was not your own -- not because it was taken from you, but because it was given for something greater?In this week's message, Pastor Wes walked us through 2 Corinthians 5:14-21, reminding us that as followers of Jesus, we have been given a new motive, a new identity, and a new ministry. We are not just changed people -- we are Christ's ambassadors, carrying the message of reconciliation to a broken world.The old has gone. The new has come. And that changes everything about how we live, how we love, and how we see the people around us.We would love to see you next week as we continue our series, Becoming Mature: Five Marks of a Healthy Disciple.We’re so glad you’re here. Ebenezer Baptist Church

What does it truly mean to follow Jesus? In our latest sermon, we explored the third mark of a mature disciple: walking in the ways of Jesus. In the book of Acts, early believers were not called Christians first — they were called followers of "the Way." That word carried the weight of a journey, not just a label.Walking in the ways of Jesus means allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out, not just checking religious boxes. It means seeding the gospel in every relationship, pursuing authentic community, and yes, standing apart from the values of a culture that pulls us in a different direction.As Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, trusting God with all our heart and submitting to him in all our ways is what makes our paths straight. The Way is not a destination you arrive at — it is a path you walk, every single day.Join us as we continue the series "Becoming Mature: The Five Marks of a Healthy Disciple."

How well do you really know God? Not just facts about him, but a deep, living knowledge that shapes how you trust him, follow him, and represent him to others? This week in our Becoming Mature series, we explored what it means to know God's character as a mature disciple.From the name Yahweh, the self-existing, everlasting God, to Jehovah Sidkenu, the Lord our righteousness, to the tender image of God as our shepherd in Psalm 23, scripture reveals a God who wants to be known, not just studied. A flawed or incomplete view of God affects everything, how we trust him, how we follow him, and how we reflect him to the world around us.This week, ask God for a heart of flesh. Open his word and let his character jump off the page. The goal is not head knowledge. It is transformation.

What does it mean to truly abide in Christ? Pastor Wes opens our new fall series, Becoming Mature: Five Marks of a Healthy Disciple, by taking us deep into John 15 and the powerful imagery of the vine and the branches.One of the most striking truths from the message: not every season of life is a harvest. Sometimes God prunes what is bearing fruit so it can bear even more. Those dry, difficult seasons are not signs of failure. They may be the very work of a loving Father shaping you for greater fruitfulness.The heart of abiding is this -- we do not obey God to earn His love. We obey as a response to it. When the love of Christ takes root in us, it changes our desires, our prayers, and our lives from the inside out. We would love to have you join us next Sunday as this series continues. Discussion Questions: 1. We started our “Becoming Mature” series this fall on discipleship and we looked at the first aspect of abiding - what was Standing out to you from Sundays message and why? 2. We looked at the idea of being in seasons of pruning as well as seasons of fruitfulness; can you talk about a season of pruning that you have experienced and what God taught you in that?  3. We also looked at how God’s word abiding in us changes our desires and how we pray; how have you read John 15:7 that we looked at on Sunday?  4. What is one step of obedience you can take with you from this weekends message?

Have you ever felt unseen, unheard, or forgotten? This past Sunday, we closed our "What God Did" series with a powerful testimony that reminded us of a profound truth: even in our deepest pain, Jesus sees us, hears us, and loves us. Ashley Bucknell shared her remarkable story of growing up deaf, navigating rejection, abandonment, and isolation, and how Jesus met her in the middle of it all. Like Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52 and the woman healed after years of suffering in Mark 5:24-34, Ashley discovered that Jesus pauses for the people others overlook. Her story is also a reminder that God does not waste our pain. He uses it to reach others who are walking the same road. Whatever season you are in, do not lose heart. He hears your prayers. He has not forgotten you.

What happens when a church opens its doors to a punk kid with tattoos who just wants to stop being alone? Vince grew up a stone's throw from Ebenezer, never knowing Jesus. After loss, depression, and a moment that nearly took his life, he walked through those doors on a random Wednesday night and found something he never expected: grace.His story is a picture of what 2 Timothy 2:1-2 calls us to -- a faith passed down from one generation to the next, multiplying through relationships, prayer, and radical welcome.The gospel has not changed. The same grace that transformed lives 2,000 years ago is still transforming lives in Saskatoon today. Who is your Timothy? Who are you pouring into?Come be part of what God is doing.

What God did for one Syrian family is a reminder that He works all things together for good -- even war, persecution, and impossible odds. Romans 8:28 was not just a verse this Sunday. It was a testimony lived out in real life.Gabi and her family fled violence in Maaloula, Syria -- a village that still speaks the language of Jesus -- and spent years as refugees before God opened a door to Canada in a miraculous way. Through their daughter Rita, a young woman with complex disabilities, the Canadian embassy was moved, and within 15 days the family had visas in hand.God does not waste suffering. He uses it to shape us, move us, and bring us closer to the image of His Son. Do not be surprised by the fiery trial, as 1 Peter 4 reminds us -- it is part of the journey.Come hear what God is doing in the lives of real people around the world.

What if the darkest place in your life was exactly where God planned to find you? This Sunday, we heard the powerful testimony of Norman Douglas -- a man who spent nearly 25 years behind bars -- and witnessed firsthand what happens when the love of God reaches someone the world had written off as a hopeless cause.Through one faithful chaplain, one small DVD player, and one note slipped onto a desk, a revival broke out inside prison walls. Norman's life was transformed, and he immediately began sharing that same hope with everyone around him -- proving that no one is ever too far gone.As Romans 8:38-39 reminds us, nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God revealed in Christ Jesus. Not our past. Not our darkest moments. Not the walls we find ourselves behind.God has a plan for your life too. He has had one since before you were born.

What if the hardest seasons of your life were actually proof of God's faithfulness, not His absence?This week, Jeff and Heidi Friesen shared their remarkable story of back surgeries, job loss, miscarriage, and a house fire -- and through every single trial, God provided. Groceries at the door when they had nothing. A job starting the day EI ran out. An icy patch on the sidewalk that kept Heidi from the flames.As James 1 reminds us, the testing of our faith produces endurance. Trials push us toward trust, and trust deepens our love for God. Psalm 23 says it beautifully -- even in the darkest valley, the Shepherd is with us.God's faithfulness is not found in the absence of hardship. It is found in His presence through it.

What good is a light that never guides anyone home? The Statue of Liberty was once commissioned as a lighthouse — but its torch was too dim to lead a single ship to harbor. Jesus calls us to something different in Matthew 5:13-16, where he describes his followers as salt and light — not monuments, but active, purposeful, world-changing presences.Nathan and Judy Hildebrandt took one small step of faith — a simple text message — and watched God move in the lives of people around them. That is what it looks like to let your light shine.Where is God already at work in your life? A coworker, a neighbor, a friend? The call is simple: look, step, and invite. Fear wants to put a basket over your light. Faith steps out of the boat.

What if the restlessness you feel is not a problem to fix, but a longing placed there by God? Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that God has set eternity in the human heart -- a deep hunger that no achievement, relationship, or success can ever fully satisfy.This Sunday, we heard Xulin's remarkable story -- raised in atheist China, chasing peace through academic success and career milestones, only to find that nothing filled the emptiness. It was not until she cried out to Jesus, desperate and undone, that she finally found what she had been searching for all along.Her story is a powerful reminder that God pursues hearts across every culture, every background, and every barrier. If something feels missing in your life, that longing is pointing you somewhere -- and Someone -- worth finding.

What does it look like to truly trust God with every part of your life? This Sunday, we explored Proverbs 3:5-6 and the three calls Solomon gives us: trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, and submit to Him in all your ways.We also had the privilege of hearing Graham Tyson share his remarkable story -- from a young man searching for purpose and worth, to decades of faithful obedience as a forest officer, pastor, and counselor. His journey is a powerful reminder that God's providence is His sent-from-heaven blessing, often unrealized until we look back.As Philippians 1:6 reminds us, He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. Whatever path you are on, God is faithful to lead those who trust Him.