On Sunday we launched our fall sermon series, Becoming the People of God – From Slavery to Freedom. This is a multi-week study of Exodus. We want to consider what happens when a community’s identity is changed as they encounter God in their own place and time.

From Slavery to Freedom

Why do we care about this story?

On the surface it feels like a typical biblical story of the goodness of God defeating the powers of evil. Sure that’s a part of this story, but this story is centered on God and God’s activity to liberate people. In this story, the Pharaoh (who isn’t named) represents the powers of empire: fear, greed, violence, material wealth, and scarcity. The people, all of the people, are given a choice, empire or God. This is a daily choice we have consider and inspect whether we will harden our hearts and follow the Pharaohs in our lives, or will we surrender and trust and follow the Creator God, the God of peace, freedom, and generosity.

Listen to the opening sermon of this series or read the manuscript at our church website: http://annarborvineyard.org/resources/online-sermons-a-music

Donnell Wyche serves full-time as the Senior Pastor and the Head of Staff. Pastor Donnell joined the Vineyard church in 1997 and joined the staff in 1999 and was ordained in 2004. He grew up in Washington, DC and received his B.A. in computer science from The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio and is a graduate of Vineyard Leadership Institute. He is also a VJN Steering Committee member.