Bob Garrett & Dan Almeter - Introduction to Alleluia Community

On the Monday morning of Bob & Dan’s visit to CTR, we held a Zoom call with a few remote participants, in which Bob & Dan introduced Alleluia Community to them, and fielded questions. This provides a very good introduction to Alleluia, and shows well some of the ways in which they have been walking similar paths to CTR, only decades ahead. (Of course, in other ways CTR is very different.)

Amy Cogdell - Abraham

Matt Ryniker, Senior Pastor of Hope Chapel in Austin, invited Amy to preach on the morning of September 26, 2021. He had begun a series on major figures from the Old Testament. Amy had written a book on Abraham, so she was excited to preach about him!

The sermon begins not with Amy’s voice, but with Kevin Daniel. Kevin performs a lengthy reading from Amy’s book, Chapter 1 - The Voice. After his reading, Amy begins her sermon.

Here is the video of the sermon, if you prefer to watch it:

Thomas Cogdell - Prayer (Foundations of Community #6)

The first five teachings of the Foundations of Community series give insight into our renunciations as a community. This teaching begins the second half of the series, which focuses on what we are committing to. The first commitment is to Prayer.

Teaching given by Thomas Cogdell for the CTR Retreat (via Zoom) on 18 September 2021.

It’s a fairly complex teaching, so watching it on video is helpful, because the slides show the points that Thomas is making … even though unfortunately the top of Thomas’ head was cut off by the camera!

Amy Cogdell - Forgiveness (Foundations of Community, #5)

In the 5th teaching of our Foundations of Community series, Amy follows on Merisha’s teachings on repentance and confession, with a teaching on forgiveness. How does forgiveness work in God’s court of justice, in heaven? How do we “justify the wicked” and “condemn the righteous”, without realizing it?

Teaching given at the Christ the Reconciler retreat on 21 August 2021, which was held at Hope Chapel.

After she spoke, Rose Watson sang a beautiful spontaneous song over all who were gathered … and over you who are listening now online!

If you prefer video, the teaching is also available on YouTube:

Merisha Janke - Living in the Light

The fourth in our Foundation of Community series is, like the third, brought to us by Merisha Janke, our friend from Help for All Nations. Merisha speaks from her experience growing up in the Lüdenscheid community in Germany. She focuses on confession one to another as a crucial part of living in the light, and the power of the cross to deliver us from all hidden sin.

Teaching given on June 19, 2021, at Christ the Reconciler.

We also have the teaching on video, if you prefer to watch it … Merisha is wonderfully expressive! However, the audio is not quite as good, and the video recording ended about ten minutes before the end of the talk.

Merisha Janke - The Gift of Repentance

Reposting this teaching as preparation for the June 19 CTR retreat

Merisha Janke was invited by Pastor John McComb to give the sermon on Palm Sunday 2021 (March 28). She was asked to speak on the topic of "Repentance and Forgiveness." Merisha invited Thomas Cogdell to give a brief testimony at the end, about both personal and identificational repentance.

The message was recorded by San Marcos Community Church on their Facebook page, and we have uploaded it to YouTube so that you can watch the video, if you prefer.

Amy Cogdell & Caroline Owens - The Advocate Vs. The Accuser

The 2nd teaching in the “Foundations of Reconciliation” series, following Caroline’s teaching on The Accuser of the Brethren.

Amy & Caroline work together to further unpack the ways in which we invite the Accuser into our minds, our lives, and the church - and how to instead welcome the Advocate, the Holy Spirit! Teaching given at Christ the Reconciler on 15 May 2021.

We also have the teaching on video, if you prefer to watch it.

Prince Michael Salm - Identificational Repentance as German Nobility

Michael Salm is a member of the German nobility, and currently leads the association of European nobility. In this talk, he describes his heritage and background - both the glory, and the shame. Explaining his ancestors’ sins against the Jewish people, he repents to the gathering of mostly Messianic Jews.

Prince Michael, from a historically Catholic family, married Princess Philippa from the Castell family, a historically Lutheran family. He describes their marriage of reconciliation.

Talk given at a TJCII dinner in Dallas on 3 Nov 2016.

The concept of identificational repentance is not without controversy. If you are interested in learning more, below are two papers which address the theological basis of identificational repentance.

The short paper “Confessional Repentance (Vicarious Repentance?)” was written in 2004 by Helmut Eiwen, a non-denominational German pastor. It was originally written in German, with translation to English provided by Dr. John Martin. It provides a wonderful introduction to the concept of identificational repentance.

Dr. Gary S. Greig has written a very helpful and comprehensive academic treatise called “The Biblical Foundations of Identificational Repentance as One Prayer Pattern Useful to Advance God's Kingdom and Evangelism.” Dr. Greig surveys the Old Testament concept of confession and repentance, and discusses in some depth verses in Ezekiel (18:2) and Jeremiah (20:23) that are often cited to contradict the idea of corporate / national responsibility. He then addresses the question as to whether the New Testament ends the concept of corporate / national responsibility, or continues it. This is a very important resource for us at Christ the Reconciler.

Caroline Owens - The Accuser of the Brethren

Caroline Owens is on the leadership team of Christ the Reconciler, a community of followers of Jesus seeking to live out John 17. She prepared this teaching for the first retreat back at CTR after a year-long pause because of the coronavirus. The teaching was given on April 17, 2021.

Caroline has been married to her husband Phillip for over 30 years. They have six children. Caroline is a Roman Catholic who has taken vows as a lay Dominican - the "Order of Preachers." Preach it, Caroline!

We don’t typically record community teachings on video. But we had a sense of the prophetic importance of this teaching, so if you prefer to watch while you listen, and see the Scriptures that Caroline references, we encourage you to use the Youtube video below.