As followers of Jesus we are able to share with one another the rewards and joys of our faith as well as its demands and sorrows. In doing so, we come to experience the love and comfort of belonging to a community of believers that is as concerned for us as we are for...
Growing in Christian community is sometimes reduced to our gathering together in worship services and attending other congregational activities and events. While community growth can certainly occur in these venues, it is much more than that. Meaningful, life-changing...
As we survey our current surroundings, we find a wealth of perspectives on “how the world works.” Which of these ideas we embrace will determine how we act and behave. The same was true in Colossians when Paul warned against “fine-sounding arguments” or “hollow and...
A believer's identity is in Christ. In Him we find true life, meaning, and purpose. Yet, it is common for believers to take their eyes off of Jesus and begin substituting other things in His place. We look for other ways to identify ourselves often choosing how we...
God has gifted each of us to contribute to the spiritual well-being of the body of Christ. Being good stewards of our gifts means using them to impact the lives of others. Loving one another, serving one another, accepting one another, and encouraging one another are...
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 OBSERVATION The Church of Corinth had issues. Paul's writing here is to address just one of the many challenges facing...
When we find ourselves moving in a certain direction and focused on our goals, it can be jarring to feel like God suddenly is taking us in a new direction. It's hard to consider that what we are currently building is no longer necessary or worse, futile all along. We...
"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." James 1:19-20 OBSERVATION Three major tips by James; Listen fast,...
Whenever we head into a new normal, there is usually an old normal we have to contend with first. We transition into a new normal when an old normal no longer works or the new normal is significantly better. This week, we'll discuss a new command Jesus gives his...
It’s possible to experience “our finest hour” in the most challenging of situations. That’s true, in part, because God uses hardships and difficulties to reveal what’s inside of us. Then, we can change and become better with His help. It’s ambitious to envision our...
Family involves many times and seasons of life. Our roles within our family change, but each role and each season is part of God's plan for family. If we're fortunate, one day we'll find ourselves in the last season - Old Age. While this is a season some of us would...
As the family goes, so goes the culture. The idea of family is deeply rooted in our lives. We were born for family; it’s in our blood. And the idea of family is rooted in the heart of God. It’s more than an illustration. Family is a reality for anyone related to God....
We are the Church. The Church is the Body Christ. When this Body is healthy, God uses us to change history. That happens with the Body is mobilized by love. The world sees the hope they are searching for when we reach out to them in love. However, if we give in to...
ASL InterpretationHow do we build for the future when the future seems so uncertain? This week, we'll turn to Acts 2 to see how the early church began as a model for how we can continue to build the future of the Church together. As we follow their lead, we not only...
How would you end your last words to someone? As Paul ends his second letter to Timothy, he works through a list that feels out of place at first. Honestly, it’s part of the letter that we tend to skip when we read it. But what if God has something significant to...
Peace. We sing songs about it. We march for it. Demonstrate for it. Hold conferences about it and create think tanks to create it. We long for it. But it remains elusive. We live in a world broken by war, poverty, hatred, and illness, making peace seem impossible. Yet...
Life is full of extraordinary challenges: wars, injustice, and politics just to name a few. When faced with these extraordinary challenges, we can look for a miracle that is just as extraordinary. But life also has its ordinary challenges: stressful emails or losing...
Around this time of year, it may be easier for us to have thankfulness on our minds. But do we regularly give thanks throughout the year? What about when things don’t go our way? It seems like we wait to really give thanks until certain things happen the way we want...
Our relationships develop and grow through the stories we tell each other. We connect with people when we know the past they've come from, the present they live in, and the future they hope for. We feel connected when those people also know our stories. But when...
One of the most significant barriers to relationships is the failure to listen. It is impossible to effectively relate to others if we’re not listening. When we do listen, relationships come to life. Listening makes us feel heard, understood, valued, loved. The power...
We’re all made to live in community. But today we find ourselves living increasingly isolated lives. As we further disconnect from other people, we lose not only the support of community we need, but we also lose the sense of fulfillment in Christ that God intended...