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...
The results on the playing field are largely determined off of it. In sports, in work, on the battlefield, even in our relationships, much of our success in the moment of engagement is determined by the work we did or didn't do preparing ourselves for it. In short,...
One eager to please God is determined to get out of the bleachers and into the game. But our involvement in serving doesn’t have to be random or chaotic. God has given each believer a spiritual gift—a specific, supernatural ability for building up the body of Christ....
Following Jesus calls us out of the bleachers and into the game. But being in the game means we have to get out of our comfort zones and get our hands dirty. This willingness to lay aside ourselves is at the heart of volunteering. In this message, we’ll see how Jesus...
It doesn’t take much energy to be a spectator. Just watch the action on the field. Then you can cheer when you approve and boo when you don’t. But following Jesus was never meant to be a spectator sport. One eager to please God is determined to get out of the...
Have you ever wondered what the Christian life is all about? Jesus Christ calls people to follow Him, to be changed by Him, and to go on mission with Him. His mission is for us to be disciple-makers, disciples who make disciples. That's what He wants our lives to be...
It’s possible to live with legitimate, godly desires that are never fulfilled in your lifetime. Pain, disappointment, heartache and disillusionment can expose these restless longings. Unmet desires remind us that we’re living in one world but longing for another. God...
There is no shortage of resources claiming to help us live full lives. Yet, despite the easy access of self-help information, how many of us would honestly describe our lives as full? Why doesn’t information automatically translate into transformation? This weekend,...
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ...
At some point in our lives, we are all going to experience negative emotions. That’s right. Suffering will come. And the emotions associated with suffering…guilt, shame, sadness, despair, anger…they will follow. What we do with these emotions says a lot about our...
Sometimes you can tell yourself lies without even realizing it. But your life can take on a completely different perspective when you learn to tell yourself the truth. Let’s begin this New Year with a reminder of five simple affirmations that can change the way we...
During our Be Rich series, our church has been mobilized toward radical generosity, acts of service and simple gestures of kindness. But it’s possible to be rich in another area that often gets neglected. In each of us lies a capacity of enormous power. It’s a power...
Take a casual survey and you might find your answer at the top of the list. What is your greatest desire in life? Common answer: “I just want to be happy.” There’s certainly nothing wrong with wanting to be happy. But maybe there are different kinds of happiness and...
Life is to be lived and enjoyed to the fullest but always with an eye toward eternity. This life is not all there is. After your life is over, you will spend eternity either with God or separated from Him. Your destiny is sealed the moment you believe in Jesus for...
The good news about Jesus is that He came so that we might have life and have it to the fullest. An offer this amazing can easily seem too good to be true. It is completely understandable that someone would be skeptical or want to reserve judgement. But when we...