Gateway Church Austin: Recent Episodes
Gateway Church Austin
You don’t have to dress up. You don’t have to be any particular age. We don’t care who you voted for in the last election. And please don’t feel the need to pretend about anything. Gateway Community Church is a place where God meets people who are far from perfect. That means anyone is welcome no matter where they are on their spiritual journey.
God desires for us to unlearn unhealthy patterns and behaviors we saw or experienced, so that we do not repeat them.
Our identity must be rooted in Christ, or we will try and find ourselves in everyone else.
“Con los años la viña da mejor vino.” (With years, the vine yields better wine) – Latin American Proverb We are wise when we learn from our elders and invest in our youth.
“What goes around comes around.” – Indian Proverb. We are wise when we have the end in mind.
We should pray for wisdom to make the best decisions for ourselves and others, with God’s guidance.
In order to fully grasp what God wants to do in your life, you must break the box you limit Him to.
No matter how far from God you feel and regardless of what you’ve done, there’s room for you.
Have you ever felt like you’ve been waiting on God for a long time and things aren’t changing? Even in the most desperate situations and in the most hopeless seasons- God will always keep His promises.
The hope of Jesus can transform every part of our life, but it’s up to us to let Him in.
"Imagine the God of Heaven – Doing Life with the God of Joy" with John BurkeNever in history, until now, have we been able to hear from so many people across the globe who have been brought back from clinical death…and they are encountering the same captivating God.Modern medical resuscitation and digital communication have revealed a gold mine of intriguing near-death experiences (NDEs). John Burke has spent the last three decades studying more than 1,000 NDEs.Imagine the God of Heaven unveils the fascinating love story and characteristics of this God of all nations, revealed throughout history in scripture, illustrated by nearly 70 thrilling NDE encounters.Adventure into realms of wonder with people from every continent who found themselves experiencing a magnificent God of captivating love. Along your journey you will realize God is the love you’ve always wanted, and his power, compassion, friendship, and guidance are closer than you could ever imagine!For such a time as this, Imagine the God of Heaven brings a treasure of biblical truth and inspiration for a world in desperate need of God’s love and wisdom.Purchase your copy at imagineheaven.net.For more from John Burke go to gatewaychurch.com or YouTube.com/gatewaychurchaustin.
"Imagine the God of Heaven - God’s Mystery and Majesty" with John BurkeNever in history, until now, have we been able to hear from so many people across the globe who have been brought back from clinical death…and they are encountering the same captivating God.Modern medical resuscitation and digital communication have revealed a gold mine of intriguing near-death experiences (NDEs). John Burke has spent the last three decades studying more than 1,000 NDEs.Imagine the God of Heaven unveils the fascinating love story and characteristics of this God of all nations, revealed throughout history in scripture, illustrated by nearly 70 thrilling NDE encounters.Adventure into realms of wonder with people from every continent who found themselves experiencing a magnificent God of captivating love. Along your journey you will realize God is the love you’ve always wanted, and his power, compassion, friendship, and guidance are closer than you could ever imagine!For such a time as this, Imagine the God of Heaven brings a treasure of biblical truth and inspiration for a world in desperate need of God’s love and wisdom.Purchase your copy at imagineheaven.net and for more from John Burke go to gatewaychurch.com or YouTube.com/gatewaychurchaustin.
"Imagine the God of Heaven – God’s Love Story" with John BurkeNever in history, until now, have we been able to hear from so many people across the globe who have been brought back from clinical death…and they are encountering the same captivating God.Modern medical resuscitation and digital communication have revealed a gold mine of intriguing near-death experiences (NDEs). John Burke has spent the last three decades studying more than 1,000 NDEs.Imagine the God of Heaven unveils the fascinating love story and characteristics of this God of all nations, revealed throughout history in scripture, illustrated by nearly 70 thrilling NDE encounters.Adventure into realms of wonder with people from every continent who found themselves experiencing a magnificent God of captivating love. Along your journey you will realize God is the love you’ve always wanted, and his power, compassion, friendship, and guidance are closer than you could ever imagine!For such a time as this, Imagine the God of Heaven brings a treasure of biblical truth and inspiration for a world in desperate need of God’s love and wisdom.Purchase your copy at imagineheaven.net and for more from John Burke go to gatewaychurch.com or youtube.com/gatewaychurchaustin
Imagine the God of Heaven excerpts from John Burke's new book and interviews with survivors of NDE (Near Death Experience)
John Burke, bestselling author of Imagine Heaven, sits down with Gateway Austin Online Campus Pastor, Eric Bryant, for a Q&A.
John shares insights from the Scriptures, and from his in-depth research of Near Death Experiences, through interviews and medical journals. He also shares a glimpse of his new book, Imagine the God of Heaven.
Pre-purchase John's new book at imagineheaven.net and receive a free copy of the audio book!
Book release at Gateway Austin is October 29th! Everywhere else is November 7th!
If Jesus was serious about heart transformation, then our thoughts, motives, and intentions are deeply significant.
Being Future Ready isn’t about technological savviness or hustling to make a name for yourself. Being Future Ready means making the most of the time, resources, and opportunities you’ve been given, here and now. Being Future Ready isn’t about manufacturing a moment, it’s about not missing the moment in front of you. It isn’t about waiting for some far-off glorious destination. It’s about creating a beautiful journey, one step at a time.
In order to be ready for the future we must allow ourselves to be restored holistically.
You can’t change your past, but you can create the future. You have been given one life. How are you going to make it count?
Engaging in healthy community can, and should, be a spiritual habit we develop. Whether it is a church, at home, or at school, everyone wants to know that they have a place to belong!
As school is set to start, let’s go back to the basics. In this series, we discover what it looks like to explore God and be rooted in the fundamentals of the Christian faith. Our goal is to help each other in knowing that God guides us to make wise choices and He has given us the Bible to grow in obedience, forgiveness, love, and faith.
As school is set to start, let’s go back to the basics. In this series, we discover what it looks like to explore God and be rooted in the fundamentals of the Christian faith. We use the 5 key concepts of Gateway Kids as a guide to awaken child-like wonder in following Jesus together. Knowing Jesus is not a concept to be grasped, but a person to be experienced.
If we are ever going to make our faith our own, we’ve got to start spending time with God personally. It means indulging in the Bible, having conversations with God, and discovering how we best connect with God through worship.
Along with being one of the founders of Gateway Church, Ted Beasley is the founder and Lead Instructor of EmergentExecs, coaching hundreds of emerging and senior leaders.
As a consultant, he has brought strategic and financial expertise to small businesses and Fortune 500 companies.He has launched many business ventures across the globe.
Ted is currently a professor at the Acton School of Business, a 100-hour-per-week intensive Entrepreneurship program rated as one of the top 5 MBA degrees in the nation by Princeton Review.
Don Tate is an award-winning author and the illustrator of numerous critically acclaimed books for children. Books he’s illustrated include the Roto and Roy series, books one and two (Little Brown, 2021); Swish! The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, and many more. Don is a founding host of The Brown Bookshelf, a blog dedicated to advocating for books created by African American youth literature creators. Don and his wife, Tammy, and son, Kolby, live in Austin, Texas.
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What was the last thing you felt, saw, heard, tasted, or experienced that brought you a sense of wonder?
- What stood out to you from the message?
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What role, if any, does wonder play in your life? Do you tend to view your life through your pain or through wonder?
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Read Psalm 103.
Make some observations about this passage (What does the text say?):
- What do you notice and what are you curious about?
Make some interpretations (What does the passage mean?)
- What do we learn about God here?
- What do we learn about people?
- What do we learn about cultivating wonder in the midst of difficulty?
Now make some applications (what’s my response?)
- How are you encouraged, challenged, or convicted by this passage?
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What needs to change in your life in order to live this out?
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In what ways have you experienced the Lord’s “benefits”?
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What are you currently facing in life that is threatening to steal your joy and wonder in the Lord or that is tempting you to turn to things other than the Lord? What are some tangible practices you can put in place to refocus your eyes on Jesus and depend on Him?
PRAYER
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul.
PRAYER
Your Spiritual Growth doesn't happen by accident.
Jamie Schwarz is a native Texan, born and raised right here in Central Texas. She is a wife, mom, hair stylist, and pastor here at Gateway Church.
Jamie has been active in recovery since first working through the 12 steps 18 years ago. She has since sponsored countless others through the program and has been an advocate for building up our recovery program here at Gateway.
So how can you serve others? What needs are right in front of you? You will find that in giving yourself away, you find yourself. In creating time to serve you gain something eternal that can never be taken away. Here’s your challenge, serve someone with no strings attached over the next day or two. Jump into serve somewhere at a campus near you. Go above and beyond for someone in your family this week. And watch what God does.
Hebrews was written to a community of Jewish believers who are being persecuted for their faith and beginning to question if it’s worth it to keep following Jesus. They are tempted to turn their back on Him and return to their former Jewish practices. In light of this: For whom in your life are you doing the same?
- In what relationships do you experience submission- both in submitting to others and others submitting to you? Would you say those relationships are healthy? Why or why not?
- Do you think submission is a dirty word in Western culture? Why or why not?
- What stood out to you from the message?
- Read Ephesians 5:1-2, 15-21
- Read Philippians 2:3-11.
- In Ephesians 5:21, we are told to submit to one another “out of reverence for Christ”, that is, out of respect for who He is and what He has done for us. When Jesus is your life, you can freely give it to others. In other words, when we are utterly dependent on Christ for our identity, worth and value, we can depend on one another in a healthy way.
- What is one relationship this week that you can practice sacrificing your way, yielding to them in love, and seeking their interests above your own? What is one, tangible way you can show that to them?
Key Scriptures:
Ephesians 5:1-2, 15-21
Philippians 2:3-11
Prayer:
Read through Philippians 2:3-11 slowly, out loud, meditating on who Jesus is and what He has done.
Respond with thanksgiving. Simply thank Jesus for who He is and what He has done.
Request help. Ask for Him to help you to grow in looking like Him and having His same mindset when it comes to submission. Confess ways that you haven’t had this mindset. How do you want Him to change you?
What will make this the best summer ever won’t be the destinations we go to or the pictures we take, but rather the people we do life with- those we impact and those that impact us. Diversity in all its facets makes the world the beautiful kaleidoscope that it is, but when we become fixated solely on our differences it leads to division.
What will make this the best summer ever won’t be the destinations we go to or the pictures we take, but rather the people we do life with- those we impact and those that impact us. We know accountability is important for growth, but so few of us allow people close enough to help us.
What will make this the best summer ever won’t be the destinations we go or the pictures we take, but rather the people we do life with- those we impact and those that impact us. Love is perhaps the most used and misused word in the world. Today we explore what love means in the context of a Christian community.
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own or get together with your group, spiritual running partners, or family to talk through what you are learning.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- Have you ever been in a situation that you didn’t want to be in? Maybe you were forced to move schools, jobs, and/or cities. How did you respond to your new situation?
- What stood out to you from the message?
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The church is called to be a bridge from the city to God. Have you given much thought to this? How much do you consider your own role in reaching the city with the message of Jesus?
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How do you view the people of your city? Which negative attitude do you lean toward as you think about the people of your city?
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When we Ignore the people of our city, we rob ourselves of God’s heart for them.
- When we Reject the people of our city, we forget God’s acceptance of them.Any repeated phrases?
- When we Despise the people of our city, we block out God’s desire for them.
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When we Hate the people of our city, we become enemies of the God who loves them.
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Read Acts 17:16-34 The Apostle Paul visits Athens and builds common ground with the philosophers and the people gathering. He doesn’t bang a drum of morality to these people who have no frame of reference for the Hebrew God/Jesus Christ. He builds a bridge of common ground.
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Where do you see Paul operating in these ways as he interacts with the people of Athens?-
- Paul is open to see what God sees
- He brings the Good News where he has influence
- He builds a bridge of common ground
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He gives people the hope and life of Jesus
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What is your current sphere of influence? How do you view the people in your sphere of influence? What steps are you taking to build a bridge from them to God?
These commitments are based on how God has designed us to be and how Jesus instructed us to live in unity in order to show what He is like and lead others to Him.
As John Burke passes the baton of senior pastor to Carlos Ortiz we focus on the story of how God led John to start Gateway church. "Come as you are. No perfect people allowed."
Whether or not you believe in prayer and whether or not you feel like you know how to pray, during this series, you will discover the power of and the path to connecting with God which can bring comfort, hope, and healing. In the midst of your deepest pain, biggest regret, and hardest loss, you can still talk to God.
Whether or not you believe in prayer and whether or not you feel like you know how to pray, during this series you will discover the power of and the path to connecting with God which can bring comfort, hope, and healing.
Prayer is meant to be persistent, because persistent prayer is powerful!
Whether or not you believe in prayer and whether or not you feel like you know how to pray, during this series you will discover the power of and the path to connecting with God which can bring comfort, hope, and healing.
Prayer is simply communicating with a loving God who desires to speak to you and loves to hear from you.
Whether or not you believe in prayer and whether or not you feel like you know how to pray, during this series, you will discover the power of and the path to connecting with God which can bring comfort, hope, and healing.
Pastor John Burke brings us his last Easter message as Senior Pastor of Gateway.
There are many characters in the story about the death and resurrection of Jesus. They are all real people living in a real place, in a specified time for a specified purpose, with real human emotions and motivations. Friday was suppose to be the end of the story. At least that's what they all thought. But they didn't know that Sunday was coming.
This sermon will challenge you to leave your sin at the cross and celebrate the good news that Jesus rose from the dead.
When Jesus showed up in people’s lives in the Gospels, something shifted. The same is true today. When we radically encounter who God really is, in the greatest way possible, nothing is ever the same. God will stop at nothing to show you that you are chosen like a woman who demonstrated that extravagant love invites extravagance.
When Jesus showed up in people’s lives in the Gospels, something shifted. The same is true today. When we radically encounter who God really is, in the greatest way possible, nothing is ever the same. God will stop at nothing to show you that you are chosen like he did with a woman who was an outcast.
When Jesus showed up in people’s lives in the Gospels, something shifted. The same is true today. When we radically encounter who God really is, in the greatest way possible, nothing is ever the same. God will stop at nothing to show you that you are chosen like he did with a religious leader at the end of his religious rope. God cares more about heart transformation than behavior modification.
When Jesus showed up in people’s lives in the Gospels, something shifted. The same is true today. When we radically encounter who God really is, in the greatest way possible, nothing is ever the same. God will stop at nothing to show you that you are chosen like two men who abandoned Jesus. Despite your sin and your mess, you are chosen by God.
Have you experienced a “rock bottom” moment in your life where you had no other option but to look up and ask for help? Or maybe not quite “rock bottom”, but a jolting moment that woke you up to the reality of a bad direction your life was going? What happened as a result of these experiences?
OLD VS. NEWWork through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning. DIGGING DEEPER 1. Describe your history and current relationship with the Bible. Are you: Familiar and comfortable with it? Been reading it for years? Regularly engage with it as a way of spending time with God? Like the New Testament but avoid the Old or the other way around? Try to read it, but feel lost or overwhelmed? Brand new to it or never cracked it open? Etc. 2. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The Bible makes many claims about its purpose and value. The Apostle Paul in his second letter to his protege sums up some of these claims in this passage. What do we learn about Scripture here? How have you experienced the Bible as God’s inspired (breathed out) word in your own life? 3. Read Psalm 19:7-11. How does the Psalmist describe God’s Word (the Law)? Do you approach the Bible with the same premises? Why or why not? 4. Read Luke 24. What claims does Jesus make about the Scriptures (the Old Testament). How should this affect the way we read the Old Testament and the Bible as a whole? 5. Hebrews 4:12 says that God’s word is “living and active”, so this exercise is intended to help you connect the Word from your mind, to your heart and into your daily life: Read Psalm 19:7-11 again slowly a few times. What word or phrase stands out to you? Sit with this for a few moments and examine your heart. What does this word or phrase stir up in you? With whatever arises, respond to God in prayer and invite Him to help you live this out in your life. KEY SCRIPTURE2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Psalm 19:7-11 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. TAKE A NEXT STEPIf this Digging Deeper whets your appetite to grow more in your understanding and application of God’s Word, a great step would be to take one of our Grow classes starting in just a couple weeks! You can sign up here: Alpha: https://www.gatewaychurch.com/event-details/?id=97806 God’s Redemptive Story: https://www.gatewaychurch.com/event-details/?id=97551 How to Read the Bible: https://www.gatewaychurch.com/event-details/?id=97525FOR THE PARENTSHey, families! Here’s a look at what we’re covering with your kids so you can help them continue to grow at home during the week.THIS WEEKThis week, kids learn from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount about how to love their enemies.THE BIBLE: Jesus taught us how to love our enemies.THE BIG IDEA: Matthew 5:43-48ASK THISBecause sometimes you and your kid need a conversation-starter that isn’t,“So . . . how was church?”What can you do when you’re finding it hard to love someone in the moment?What is something that can remind you to love your enemies every day?REMEMBER THISThis month, your kids are memorizing the Bible verseJohn 13:15 (NIV), in case you want to work on them together.EC: “…you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15bElem: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John
Bad authorities may ask you to do things you know you cannot do.Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. What is something you have purchased that may have seemed frivolous at the time, but was worth every penny? 2. Take the time to read through all of Daniel 3 and answer the following questions:What stands out to you about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s actions in this story? What stands out to you about the king’s actions in this story? How does God show up? What happens as a result? 3. Where is your comfort in difficult times? Is your comfort in God delivering you from difficulty or in the reality that God is WITH you? 4. Read Luke 14:25-33 and answer the following questions: ◦ Make some observations about this passage (What does the text say):▪ Who is talking?▪ What is the circumstance?▪ Any repeated phrases?▪ What surprised you?▪ What stood out to you?◦ Make some interpretations (What does the passage mean)▪ What questions do you have?▪ Summarize the passage in 1-3 sentences – what are the main points?▪ What do you learn about the nature and character of God as you read this?▪ What do you learn about yourself and your choices?◦ Now make some applications (what’s my response)▪ How do you respond to what you are reading?▪ How does this apply to your life?▪ What is the central truth that you could put into practice from this?▪ Who could you share this with for the sake of encouragement? 5. If you are a follower of Jesus, what has it cost you to follow Him? What have you gained as a result? ▪ If you are not yet a follower of Jesus, what things in your life seem too valuable to give up to give your life to Jesus? 6. Read Matthew 10:39. Spend time in prayer. If you know Jesus, ask Him for the courage to live boldly for Him and to reveal where you are blending in when He wants you to stand out. If you don’t yet know Jesus, and you want to, ask for the courage to count the cost of following Him. What is He inviting you to lay down?KEY SCRIPTURELuke 14:25-33 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.Matthew 10:39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
No matter how bleak the situation is around you or within you. Our hope is not anchored in what we see but in a God who is sovereign.
Christmas is best celebrated when we are surrounded by the ones we love. Through Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection, we are invited into the family of God. That means we are chosen. That means we belong!
No matter where Christmas is celebrated in the world, lights are an essential element. Whether it’s hanging them on your house the day after Thanksgiving, lighting candles on December 24, or decorating streets with luminaries, Christmas is the embodiment of God bringing light into the darkness.
Because of Jesus, we can bring Heaven to Earth. And one day that process will be complete. There will be no more hurt, no more sickness, no more struggle, and no more death. In the ocean of temporal life, we have an eternal anchor in hope, and that is Jesus.
Jesus showed us a new way to be human. We are not slaves to sin, addictions, feelings, or the past. In Christ, we are new creations. Because He passed the ultimate test, you and I can have true life!
Evil, the world, and our own brokenness constantly claw at our identity. All pulling us to create a foundation of self-image on everything but God. These schemes and patterns are nothing new. When in doubt we can trust who God says we are.
We are constantly looking for validation in this world either out loud or within our souls crying out, “Someone, tell me who I am!” Even the most faithful Christ follower is sometimes asking this same question. The only place we get the answers is from the Creator Himself.
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
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What intrigued you about this message?
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Can you relate to what you heard in the message? Has this same idea/challenge come up in your life
before, or is it new?
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How does what you heard affect your life right now (maybe it speaks to something you are going through, struggling with, looking into, etc.)?
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What challenged you?
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What is your next step to apply what you heard?
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Is there someone you feel prompted to share with, about what you’ve learned from the message?
Sometimes our career success can overshadow what we are really going through. Lindsay Ronga, one of our Gateway North volunteers shares her story that will show us how we can trust God with our hardships and know that God is writing an even better story.
We all will experience stressful and sometimes significantly trying times in our jobs. What if fear doesn’t have to have the loudest voice? Phil Wright, one of our spiritual overseers at Gateway, shares his story that will show us how we can trust God’s way, even when conventional wisdom says otherwise.
Our lives aren’t meant to be segmented. We don’t have to leave our faith at the door when we walk into work. Aman Quadri, one of the members of our board of directors and longtime Gatewayer shows us how to allow our relationship with God to guide us in our daily decision-making at work and in our relationships with our coworkers.
We are all created on purpose and for a purpose. Instead, we may find ourselves disillusioned or discouraged as we wander around in circles trying to make sense of a life of meaning. With God’s help, we can find what we’ve been designed to become.
Jenn Clay, a volunteer from Gateway Central Austin, and Kelli Bosse, a volunteer from Gateway North Austin, share about purpose. Jenn shares as a life coach and strengths coach. Kelli shares from her perspective in the tech world.
Flourishing financially seems harder and harder to do when inflation goes up and the stock market goes down. The Scriptures offer principles for wise money management even in difficult times.
Aman and Mark share some tips and tools for overcoming debt, learning to save, investing, and developing a healthy relationship with money.
We are invited to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. All aspects of our lives are interconnected. Becoming healthy spiritually can lead to the pursuit of becoming healthy physically and mentally.
We are invited to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. All aspects of our lives are interconnected. Becoming healthy spiritually can lead to the pursuit of becoming healthy physically and mentally. Ricky sits down with fitness coach and Gateway Spiritual Overseer, Andrea Wiggins, alongside Gloria Mann, a licensed professional counselor, to learn some practical steps toward developing physical and mental health.
We were designed for connection. Unfortunately, division, doubt, and conflict tempt us towards giving up or isolating because “hurt people hurt people.” Even still, we can enjoy life as God intended when we foster a healthy, growing, and intimate relationship with God and with others.
We need each other, but people can hurt us, betray us, and let us down. Phil and Vicky Wright share wisdom based on their long-time marriage and their work counseling singles and couples in developing healthy relationships. Phil serves as one of our spiritual overseers, and the Wrights are part of our North Austin campus. Phil and Vicky created the Resilient Marriage Retreat after engaging in the difficult process of rebuilding their own relationship and experiencing God’s redemption first-hand.
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
-
What intrigued you about this message?
-
Can you relate to what you heard in the message? Has this same idea/challenge come up in your life
before, or is it new?
-
How does what you heard affect your life right now (maybe it speaks to something you are going through, struggling with, looking into, etc.)?
-
What challenged you?
-
What is your next step to apply what you heard?
-
Is there someone you feel prompted to share with, about what you’ve learned from the message?
As you walk by faith, God guides you to make a difference in the lives of others. Serving, loving, and pointing them to the Source of Love creates a ripple effect throughout generations. Rather than the number of places you’ve seen or shows you’ve watched or widgets you’ve sold, in the end what matters most are the lives impacted through our life of faith.
A few of our leaders from our college network and our 20s and 30s network met up with John Burke to ask him questions about a life of faith and leaving a legacy.
What is your favorite thing you’ve ever made? Describe the process of making this item and why it is your favorite? What is something in creation, whether it be natural or man-made, that when you experience it, it draws your heart to awe and worship of God? What stood out to you from the message?
You were created on purpose and with a purpose. A relationship with God allows you to make the most of every good and bad experience life throws at us. Walking by faith is not always easy, but it’s a life most worth living. Discover how setting aside the instant gratification of today can enable us to accomplish a mission that’s far greater than we could imagine.
Dr. Elmore has trained more than 500,000 leaders in hundreds of organizations worldwide. He’s also the Founder and CEO of Growing Leaders, a non-profit team that equips students & young professionals around the world to become life-giving leaders. Author of the well known Habitudes: Images that Form Leadership Habits and Attitudes and Generation Z Unfiltered: Facing Nine Hidden Challenges of the Most Anxious Population, rather than hearing his story, he is going to help us understand the emerging story of the next generation.
This Sunday, “Sledge” is coming back to Gateway! Long-time Gatewayers know how compelling and hilarious Sledge is as a speaker. You may also know him from his work on Medium.com where he writes primarily on mental health. His new book Where Cowards Go To Die, is a memoir from his time serving in the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. His book “cuts through the bravado to reveal a brutal portrait of war and the cost of returning to a country that no longer feels like home.”
We all love a great story, and this summer we’ve got some great ones to share! We have an unlikely pretzel maker, an astrophysicist, a war veteran, and an expert in Generation Z. Each week you and those you invite will be inspired and even more equipped to live your great story!
This week we have the incredible story of grace from Anne Beiler the founder of Auntie Anne's Pretzels.
The Church is not a service or a building. The church is actually the people who come together to follow Jesus. As our nation celebrates our independence on July 4th, Gateway Church will be mobilized throughout the city to love our neighbor. Whether by serving those in need, hosting a party, helping at a neighborhood parade, or inviting friends over to watch the Online Inspire Service, this Sunday the Church has left the building!
When asked to choose the most important and greatest commandment, Jesus pointed towards loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. He summarized all 613 commandments in the Hebrew Scriptures into these two interconnected ideas. The world is a better place when we decide to love our neighbors.
Everyone needs/wants more money, time, and energy. What if the ways the world teaches us to “gain more” are not actually going to help us “experience more?” God’s ways and all God says about living generously shows that “more” is a matter of the heart. God gives us resources to teach our hearts how to love Him and love people.
In a fast-growing city or county, it can be easy to get lost in the crowd and experience loneliness. We need to be intentional about engaging in a community that is both confessional and missional. A confessional community allows you to share your heart and struggles. Being missional means seeking to B.L.E.S.S. our neighbors on our own and together as a community.
God speaks to us and reveals His character through the Scriptures. When we discover how to read and apply the Bible, we learn how to hear God’s Word to us. There are specific ways to engage the Scriptures in order to discover what God has for us.
God is everywhere! Even more miraculous, the Spirit of God comes to guide all who follow Jesus. We can discover what God has for us in the future and the wisdom we need now when we learn how to “keep in step with the Spirit.”
Spiritual alignment is the bedrock on which all else is built in marriage, partnerships, and friendships. Spiritual growth in the same direction connects you to the Source of love, and helps you learn to lay down your life for the other, to sacrifice, to serve, even when it’s not “better for you” because you’re doing it to please God.
Spiritual alignment is the bedrock on which all else is built in marriage, partnerships, and friendships. Spiritual growth in the same direction connects you to the Source of love, and helps you learn to lay down your life for the other, to sacrifice, to serve, even when it’s not “better for you” because you’re doing it to please God.
Mothers play a critical role in setting the culture and the dynamics in their families. Every relationship must address the reality that no family is perfect, or the perfect model. Discover how to create healthy family dynamics by considering the dysfunctional examples from our own childhood while creating something new.
This week, Kenny Green of Gateway Church’s Central Campus and Jesse Sampson of Gateway Buda share their parenthood experiences, how they have cultivated healthy family dynamics, and how to lead where dysfunction, self-healing, shame and love meet.
Every close relationship has conflict and relational breaks. The difference between healthy, lasting loving relationships and those that don’t last or do well is not how often they have conflict (or relational breaks) it’s how quickly they can repair those breaks and get back to growing their enjoyment of life together.
In this bonus episode of Healthy Relationships, Ricky Echeona interviews Hannah Ojeda and Eric Bryant from Gateway Church in South Austin. This week’s episode is all about approaching conflict in relationships and how to practice grace and forgiveness.
Relationships get complicated! Communication is the backbone of any lasting marriage, friendship, or close relationship. Intimacy is all about knowing and being known, but that requires healthy communication.
In this bonus episode of Healthy Relationships, Ricky Echeona interviews Carlos and Libby Ortiz from Gateway in North Austin. Relationships get complicated! Communication is the backbone of any lasting marriage, friendship, or close relationship. Intimacy is all about knowing and being known, but that requires healthy communication.
Jesus willingly suffered on behalf of humanity. He took upon himself all of the evil and sin ever committed or ever will be committed. The result was his death on a cross, yet on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead! The greatest miracle in history changed everything! Jesus demonstrated He truly was God among us! Now through Him, we can truly live – now and into eternity!
Knowing his time with his followers was limited, Jesus brought them together for one last meal. Jesus demonstrated his love and power by washing their feet, sharing with them about the coming Holy Spirit, and sharing with them about the importance of sacrifice. The night ended with his betrayal from one of his own followers, and his response surprised those closest to him and remains a great example for all of us.
Passion. Webster’s dictionary defines “passion” as “the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death.” Passion isn’t something we like or something we really enjoy. Genuine passion is what we are willing to die for. God demonstrated His passion for you and me by sending His Son to give His life for us. The week in the life of Jesus called “Passion Week” began with a cheering crowd and a stand for justice.
As we are seeking faith, new to faith, growing in faith, there are words that just seem foreign to us. There are some “big Ideas” and keywords in scripture that, in the original Greek language, hold deep insights into God and His heart. Discover how understanding the biblical ideas of “selflessness,” “justice,” and “change” can affect us deeply today.
We protest for justice. We work and pray for social justice. We watch movies about the Justice League. What actually is justice? According to the Scriptures, justice originates from God and His righteousness. We can discover how to bring God’s kind of righteousness and justice to earth without being “self-righteous,” “judging others,” or hypocritical. Instead, we can bring healing to our world.
Every week we sing at our weekend inspire services. The music is great, and the lyrics are inspiring. Even still, what does it mean to worship God through music? God is worthy of our devotion, and we serve, grow, give, and live out of gratitude for what He has done for us. Singing is the easiest form of worship, and even still doing so can transform us and activate the spiritual realm.
Every week we sing at our weekend inspire services. The music is great, and the lyrics are inspiring. Even still, what does it mean to worship God through music? God is worthy of our devotion, and we serve, grow, give, and live out of gratitude for what He has done for us. Singing is the easiest form of worship, and even still doing so can transform us and activate the spiritual realm.
Most of us pray. Even those of us unsure about God still pray, especially when we are in the midst of a crisis. Prayer can be a powerful experience in our lives, but we need to reframe how we view God. Prayer is not about telling God what to do. Prayer enables us to share our hearts with God and realign ourselves to who He is and what He has for us.
Many of us have a warped view of God. We see God as angry and hard to please or as an old wise man with a gray beard who is distant from us. God has revealed Himself to us as Father, Son, and Spirit, so what does that mean? Discover the beauty of who God is and how that illuminates our path.
From the people who brought you the Super Bull, this year we have something even better - the Gateway Throwdown! Every Austin area campus features two dynamic speakers battling to win the hearts and minds of their campus!
God created you on purpose and for a purpose. God gives us so many remarkable spiritual blessings so that we can share them with others. We receive His joy, hope, peace and so much more so that we can share them with others. The God of love invites us to bring His light and life everywhere we go. We can make the world a better place and help others discover that they “take all they need” as well.
Anxiety, worry, and panic attacks remain constant threats in so many of our lives. When we find ourselves needing a way out, God offers “a peace that surpasses understanding.” When we discover peace with God, we can live life without condemnation. As a result, the worries and anxieties of what others think about us and even what we think about ourselves can fade away knowing how God feels about us. Discover how God’s gift of peace can overwhelm and replace your anxiety.
We all want to be “happy,” but how can you be happy when so much keeps going wrong? Jesus gives us a promise, a right, as children of God to experience joy at all times. God’s joy transcends what others do or don’t do and transcends circumstances. Discover how to live with pure joy throughout this new year.
God offers us access to a new way of living as a part of a new family. God’s family is loving, kind, grace-giving, and multi-ethnic. We can have healthy friendships and a healthier version of the family we’ve always dreamed about as we learn to do our part to live out who God created us to be. As we celebrate the holiday weekend which honors the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we can discover that his dream for our world was a glimpse of what God promises we can have with His help.
It’s easy to find ourselves too busy, too overwhelmed, and too behind with all we have to do. Inevitably, it always feels like we never have enough of what we need to pull things off. But what if we are seeing things all wrong? In this new year, we can start with a fresh perspective and discover all we actually have access to Right Now as gifts from God. When it comes to more hope, healthier relationships, pure joy, and overwhelming peace, God says: “Take as much as you need.”
John Lee engages us to explore how God is a God who makes things new. God wants to give us a new perspective of who he is. He works through people like you and me to re-present himself to the world around us. What kind of "agent" of God's goodness will you be in the new year?
Jesus + ________ = Everything. What do you put in the blank? Listen as Ricky Echeona helps us explore how to live a life that seeks to follow Jesus and doesn't settle by filling in the blank.
This life never quite feels like home. We can feel it. There is something missing. Jesus came to bring more and more of the Home of God into a world that is going away from God. Jesus’ birth announced peace to all people on whom God’s favor rests. As we allow God’s light to shine through us, we let people see a taste of Home.
Hurt people hurt people – especially those closest to them. When things are not messy, it usually means we’re not that close. When we get close, we see differences, rub each other wrong, and step on toes. When we push through these difficulties to true acceptance and love of the other that is when we feel really known and loved. As we learn restorative principles in our church family, we can bring healing to our biological families.
Family can be the source of great joy and great pain. When so many of us come from dysfunctional families, we can learn new family dynamics where forgiveness rather than bitterness and kindness rather than cruelty become the way we relate with each other.
All of us feel lonely at times, sometimes even in a crowd or at home with our families. Other times we feel lonely because we’re new to an area, or just don’t feel like anyone really knows us. God sees the lonely, and He cares. God cares about our relationships and helps us experience a community that can be healthy and healing.
Over the last couple of months we asked you to submit your questions about faith, God, Jesus, angels, evil, and the Bible. Today you'll hear a discussion rather than a sermon, and how we explored answers to some of your questions.
The Oxford Dictionary defines the word thankful as "pleased and relieved." Both of those are great feelings... The Oxford Dictionary defines the word grateful as "showing an appreciation of kindness." This is where the difference lies, being thankful is a feeling, and being grateful is an action.
Poverty, injustice, corruption, violence, racism, and sexism are just some of the ways that evil manifests in our world. At the root of all evil perpetrated by humans is people’s personal decision to follow a lie rather than the truth. The solution to the problem of evil isn’t in changing all those people out there, it starts within us. The line between good and evil runs through every human heart. With God’s help, we can live in the light of truth and fight against the evil within and the evil in our world.
What is an angel? Are they real? Are they chubby babies with harps sitting on clouds? So much of what we believe about the spiritual realm and the afterlife comes from Renaissance paintings and myths that swirl around in our culture. Instead, we will go back to the ancient text where stories of angels in the Bible are very different than what we might expect. And knowing the truth about the unseen world makes a difference in our lives.
Our world is intrigued and sometimes even embraces evil. Horror movies make a ton of money at the box office. Shows about the occult, the paranormal, and true crime are all big business. Why are we so drawn towards evil? And where does evil originate? Discover how evil can be found in the world’s systems, in the human heart, and because of unseen spiritual forces.
God speaks to us in many ways, but often the problem is we are not listening. One of the ways He speaks to us is through the Scriptures. The Bible is not a rule book or an encyclopedia, but instead “the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus” (BibleProject.com). When we connect with God personally, the Scriptures become one of our weapons to fight evil in our world and in our lives. The Bible can become a portal into God’s presence.
God created us for a relationship. His love letter, his truth, is available to us through the Scriptures. There will be questions and there will be moments of pause, but the Bible can be the foundation on which we build our lives. The Bible is relevant by helping us understand who God is and how to live a new life under His leadership and with His guidance. Transformation comes when we engage God through the Scriptures.
When we need clarity, wisdom, peace, comfort, or rest, we have ancient wisdom which can guide us towards what we want. Unfortunately, many of us have given up on the Bible or consider it irrelevant to life. It is true, the Bible has been misunderstood, misinterpreted, and even used for the agenda of people who did not have the heart of God or were a product of their times. When we come to the Scriptures with an open heart and open mind, we will discover God waiting to speak to us and ready to meet even our deepest needs.
Growth always requires change. When we take advantage of the discomforts and tests we face, we can make significant progress in our lives. This requires intentionality. As we take personal responsibility for our spiritual growth, we will be more engaged with God personally and more connected with others relationally.
In spite of such a challenging season, we also experienced some really positive moments. Neighbors helped each other when we lost power and water. We shared with others when there were food shortages. We helped others, and we got help. We caught a glimpse of the kind of community God has in mind for all of us. We can make BLESSing our neighbors an ongoing part of our lives.
During these last 18 months, we experienced an epidemic of loneliness and isolation which negatively affected our mental health. God created us to Belong. Community and connection are essential to thrive. God’s family allows us to experience His love and kindness through other people.
For many of us, during these last 18 months, our childhood wounds surfaced and addictions or struggles returned. In this new season, we can put good habits and patterns in our lives to support healing and growth. We can relaunch our lives by looking honestly at things revealed that God wants to heal.
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
Remember that sense of fun, adventure, and creativity? A time in life when the possibilities were endless? God wants kids to grow up fiercely alive. We can rediscover that sense of excitement in life by discovering our uniqueness, sense of worth, and value.
We are all created good in the image of God, but we all face a world filled with violence, animosity, and brokenness. Inevitably like losing baby teeth, at some point we lose our sense of innocence and wonder due to the evil around us and the darkness within us. We will explore how innocence can be restored so that we can live out the new life God intends for us.
We all have a family of origin that affected how we grew up. Understanding what God intends for kids to grow up to discover helps us evaluate the experiences that shaped us. Even as we grow into adulthood, we can enjoy the joys of being children in God’s Kingdom.
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
You matter. Your story matters. Others’ stories matter.
God works in the hearts and lives of people. As you hear from a well-known tech executive and some of our young leaders during the Voices series, you will be inspired towards a deeper faith, a greater love, and more hope.
You matter. Your story matters. Others’ stories matter.
God works in the hearts and lives of people. As you hear from a well-known tech executive and some of our young leaders during the Voices series, you will be inspired towards a deeper faith, a greater love, and more hope.
You matter. Your story matters. Others’ stories matter.
God works in the hearts and lives of people. As you hear from a well-known tech executive and some of our young leaders during the Voices series, you will be inspired towards a deeper faith, a greater love, and more hope.
Too often, the Church has been a stumbling block for people coming to know the real Jesus. We don’t have to allow hypocrites or cultural Christians to keep us from the life God has for us. Followers of Jesus can develop a genuine faith that transforms us and enables us to create the community He desires.
On Father’s Day, some of us celebrate, and for some of us, talking about family triggers us. Dysfunction and toxicity are far too common, but they don’t have to be inevitable as we learn to navigate conflict, forgive, and chart a new path.
We all have bosses, professors, leaders in our life who let us down, how do we respond when those we trust to lead us well, do the very opposite? Even if they may not have our best interest at heart, God can use difficult people in our lives to make us better.
In the wake of a divisive presidential election, a pandemic, cultural unrest, and cancel culture, it’s no wonder we are all suffering from TRUST fatigue. Trust does not come easily for most of us, but learning to trust again can give us the strength and confidence we need (and others need from us).
God wants us to have more rather than take more from us. There are very “rich” people who are worth far less than those with a high net worth without contentment, freedom, generosity but stuck needing more. What if we began to see ourselves as God’s Investment Managers that He could trust with more and more because we will be faithful? How do you get there where God can trust you with more and more? God actually asks us to test Him in the area of finances. Money reveals how we view ourselves and God.
Contrary to popular belief, God doesn’t want us to have less, but more. God is a God of abundance – not a God of need, but we must have hearts that can handle more rather than being possessed by the lust for more. God gives principles of money management that are not just wise, but also a test of whether we can handle more.
Everyone needs/wants more money, but “more” is a very subjective idea. What if the ways the world teaches us to “gain more” are not actually going to help us “experience more?” God’s ways and all God says about our money point out a pivotal concept – “more” is a matter of the heart. God wants our heart, and God gives us money and stuff as a way to help teach our hearts how to love Him and love people. Until we deal with our thoughts and attitudes towards money, we will not be free to become generous, debt-free, life-giving people who are content and happy with the abundance we have.
Moms have a unique role in our world that is not often given the importance or credit it deserves. Every human being is designed to need and depend on mom – more than any other person. God did this on purpose as we are dependent creatures who need truth and love to become the person God created us to be.
Gateway is a diverse community racially/ethnically as well with over 60 nationalities represented – just in our Austin campuses alone! When we include those connected across the United States or globally, it is even more remarkable. God’s heart has always been for all people of various tribes, tongues, races, and ethnicities, and the Church has always had to learn to see each other across cultures. In a divided world, we are uniquely called and equipped to be the unified community the world needs us to be.
We are all created and gifted by God. These gifts have to be discovered, developed, and put into action to make the world a better place. From those who are still struggling to determine what we want to do “when we grow up” to those who have started profitable businesses or led in influential industries, each of us has something important to contribute towards God’s purposes. We can all be successful in the eyes of God as we are faithful with what we’ve been given. When we take our passions, expertise, and experiences, add in our training and knowledge, and mix it together with our church community, we have the ingredients we need to make our city an even more beautiful place to be.
We live in a pluralistic society. Some of us come from a Catholic, Baptist, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, New Age, or irreligious background. Some of us have tried all of those experiences or made up our own. Discover the differences and similarities between these world-views and God’s heart for all who have struggled with religion. God wants us to know His true character rather than think He can be represented in idols or even man-made ideas. Instead, He creates the opportunity for us to experience a genuine relationship with Him.
God is taking our pasts and using them for His good purposes as a forgiven, “come as you are” community of people. God’s heart is for all people no matter how good or bad they’ve been. He brings us into a new family with a fresh start to grow into His image. This is why we say “No Perfect People Allowed.” No need to pretend to be someone you aren’t. Being honest helps us grow from where we are to where God intends us to be.
Who is Jesus, Really? Jesus claimed to be the resurrection and the life, and anyone who believes in Him will truly live. What if we struggle to believe there could be anything more to this life? What if we are just wanting a better version of this life? On this Easter weekend, discover a new kind of life that comes from the inside out!
Jesus claimed to be God among us and that the truth would set us free. What if we are overwhelmed with all of the differing opinions on spirituality, faith, and religion and cannot discern the truth from the rumors and the lies? Discover how a relationship with God brings clarity, purpose, and genuine freedom to life.
Jesus claimed to enable us to have fruitful lives. What if we struggle to simply survive? Discover how a relationship with God connects us to a power that transforms us into people who thrive and experience the fullness of life.
Jesus claimed He can protect those who follow Him. What if the news is filled with tragedy, and the world feels unsafe? Discover how a relationship with God helps us connect to the One who can bring us peace and protection in the midst of life’s challenges.
Jesus claimed to be able to guide us out of the darkness. What if those responsible for guiding us are corrupt, hypocritical, or self-centered? Jesus challenged the religious leaders and embraced those considered as “the sinners”. Discover how a relationship with God allows us to overcome the deception and walk in the way of wisdom.
Jesus claimed to be able to meet our greatest needs. What if you find yourself in a pandemic, a winter storm without power or water, in an unjust world, or all of the above all at the same time? Discover how a relationship with God reveals God’s provision regardless of life’s circumstances.
Proud and judgmental thoughts are destructive. These kinds of thoughts foster discrimination, division, and unfortunately we all have them. Pride and being judgmental also sabotage our souls. Discover how to take our thoughts captive and refocus them in a way that honors God, others, and ourselves.
Our relationships can be negatively affected by our thoughts, especially when we are experiencing a lot of guilt and shame. John Burke interviews Dr. Chris Thurman, a counselor and author of The Lies We Believe and The Lies Couples Believe among many others. Discover how to renew your mind, transform your life, and develop healthy relationships.
Mental and emotional health can be fragile in these challenging days. Winning in life requires learning to overcome personally defeating thoughts. Carlos Ortiz interviews the most accurate kicker in NFL history and local U.T. legend – Justin Tucker. We can discover how to grab our thoughts and test them against what God says is true.
God offers us unconditional love, peace, and joy. Too often we settle for glimpses of these good gifts. We can experience the fullness of God’s transforming love on this side of eternity. Discover how God heals our hearts so we can live more fully in the mystery and wonder of who God is and help others do the same.
Too often we settle for American "churchianity," a religious version of consumerism. God is inviting us into something deeper and better. Rarely talked about in modern churches, suffering can be an important catalyst in our spiritual journey. Too often the very things we are trying to avoid may be exactly what we need for what’s next for us in life.
Balance. Security. Comfort. We long for these things, but are we looking for them in healthy ways? The self-help industry may share practical tips, but too often the results are short-lived and superficial. Discover genuine freedom from “being” rather than the trap of “doing.” We can become motivated by love rather than obligation while setting better boundaries and living with fewer resentments.
A new year gives us a fresh start to find ourselves by connecting with the One who created us and connecting with others in a meaningful way. When we are overwhelmed and lacking hope, we can borrow it from someone else. Discover how we can use moments of failure to actually help us move forward. For more resources and to connect in community with others, go to thrive.gatewaychurch.com
You matter. Your story matters. Others’ stories matter.
God works in the hearts and lives of people. As you hear from a well-known tech executive and some of our young leaders during the Voices series, you will be inspired towards a deeper faith, a greater love, and more hope.
What if 2021 was a year that you Thrive and not just survive? Carlos Ortiz walks through six ways to help you experience life in the new year so that you finish the race strong and never give up. For resources to help you Thrive you can go to: https://thrive.gatewaychurch.com/
Often times when a new year comes we place God or faith or church as a New Year’s resolution. But what if what He desires is so much more than that? Discover how to place God at the center of our lives, and what happens when we do.
The Christmas story brings peace, love, and joy to each of us who have an open heart and open mind. The story of Christmas is about the birth of a baby who was so much more than that. God relates to us because He chose to walk among us, and His name was Jesus. Discover how you can connect with God personally and help others do the same.
God is the God of all people, and what He was doing that first Christmas was for all people. He did not come to the mighty, the powerful, or the “religiously superior,” but He drew foreigners known as the Magi to come to worship Him and the poor unseen shepherds. Even in the people God chose to include in the celebration of His coming, He showed us His heart and character. God is with Us even when we feel outcast and marginalized. The story of Christmas brings hope for each one of us.
How do we respond to God when He does things that confuse us? Let’s be honest, God’s ways are mysterious, but we can discover how to discern what God is doing. The story of Joseph helps us learn how to walk by faith and trust the character of God revealed in the Scriptures when we aren’t sure what is going on in our world.
Mary loved God and was faithful to him. God honored her faithfulness and he also honors our faithfulness. When we are willing to let God lead us into uncomfortable situations, he begins to trust us with more and more. What will you let Him lead you to today?
Have you ever made a poor decision that left you isolated, even ostracized? Maybe it wasn’t even your fault. What’s your next step? How can God take your situation and turn it around? This Sunday, we’ll be talking about how God works His purposes even when He allows all of us to make our own decisions.
Ever felt like God was asking more of you than you could handle? This week we will explore someone in the Bible that experienced just that. He stepped into the situation with trust and saw God come through at the last minute. What are you experiencing right now? Do you feel that God is absent? Discover how God may be wanting to take action in your life just in time.
At times, it can be hard to keep believing that God truly has a plan, and if we could know what it is. The Scriptures reveal that God is at work to accomplish His purposes. In fact, the Scriptures share a unified story that points towards Jesus. He is God’s plan to rescue humanity. This was not an afterthought nor an accident. From the beginning pages of the Scriptures, we can see God at work to redeem His creation. This gives us hope that He is at work in our lives even now.
Whether you’re elated, mourning, or indifferent to where we are as a nation, God does have a plan. First, if you call yourself a Christ-follower, we are children of the King of Kings, the president of the universe! Nothing can stop that plan when we cooperate with Him. Don’t put your hopes in a lesser plan and let’s move forward together!
Ever find yourself standing paralyzed, not comprehending how so many things around you seem to be stacked against you? Or, maybe you simply want to run away? This has been a tough year, a catastrophic year for so many. A global pandemic. Racial injustice. A divisive election. What is God’s plan in all of this? How can we trust that He is in control?
You’ve heard that practice makes perfect, but what about purpose? What is God’s plan for us? This week, we’ll be exploring how to incorporate regular spiritual practices into our lives that will help us live out a restored life with God and others.
As we start digging into things that seem to keep us stuck in our lives, we often discover relational brokenness. Others have hurt us. We have hurt others. This week, we’ll learn how to take the steps necessary to live at peace with those around us.
Ever experience the release that comes from patching up a relationship or work situation after making a big mistake? It’s like a huge weight has been removed. The problem comes when we repeat the same mistake no matter how hard we try to do the right thing. How can we experience true restoration from our failures and find lasting freedom from our missteps?
When taking an inventory of our life’s realities, we must dig into the past to create a path forward. Getting honest with the impact we’ve had on others and the impact others have had on us is key to opening the door for God to take charge of our lives. How can we learn to trust and follow God as He helps us confront and overcome the brokenness of our past?
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
Life can sometimes feel like you are swimming upstream in a river capped with white waves. You come to realize that you can’t manage it. That realization is key. What must we do to realize that we can’t do life without God? How can we turn life over to Him to manage our unmanageable lives? How can we learn to let go?
Have you ever asked God for something and felt that he didn’t respond? Maybe He did, but your view of Him kept you from understanding His answer. Could a misconception or a faulty understanding of God be getting in the way of living your best life, the life He created you to live? Let’s explore how to look to a power greater than ourselves to work out our unmanageable lives.
Living right is hard work. In fact, it’s impossible. The more honest among us are open about our struggles with things that always seem to knock us down. The rest of us attempt to play the part of a good person on the outside, but deep down realize we are living a lie on the inside. It’s time to get honest about how powerless we truly are in managing our lives. Let’s explore how to take that first step toward truly becoming the person God created us to be.
Are you already tired of this election season? The social media arguments, news coverage, family bickering, and lawn signs are constant reminders of our starkly divided communities. As a follower of Jesus, we are called to love our neighbor which can be difficult when we disagree. Thanks for joining us as we close out two weeks of learning to unite through the words of Scripture and to prioritize relationships over politics.
As followers of Jesus, we are living in two kingdoms, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of humanity. Reality dictates that we must live and participate in both, but which governs which? We will explore what it means to walk with God during this very heated election season. Join us as we learn how to have our political leanings come second to the truth we find in the kingdom of God.
Learning how to be self aware is not easy, but it can make a difference in all areas of your life. In this message we are investigating what makes a great employee, boss, and student. How can speaking and hearing the truth in love help us and those around us be more successful? When should we submit to authority and when should we take time to lead?
How can we learn to receive positive feedback from those who know us best—our spouse, roommate, and family? How can we become more self-aware, even when their feedback can be the most difficult to hear? And, what do we do when feedback is not given well? How can we seek safe, outside insight to make us more self-aware?
Self-aware people succeed because they are able to take feedback without getting defensive. They have a growth mindset that allows them to receive feedback, filter out the noise, and make positive changes. How can standing in God’s grace allow us to remove the fear of feedback from others? How can knowing how God sees us give us the confidence to have a growth mindset? Let’s explore these ideas together!
Women make up only seven percent of the top executives in Fortune 100 companies and that includes Monica Poole-Knox as the Head of Global Talent at Microsoft. Prior to Microsoft, Monica led human resources for Marketing and Sales at Twitter, was the Chief Diversity Officer for PepsiCo, The Walt Disney Company and Verizon, and proud UT alumni. But rising up the ranks of corporate America hasn’t been her only challenge. As a Christ-follower, Monica has also had to navigate her faith in the workplace.
Before the pandemic, before the stay home orders, and before national protests speaking out against injustice, families were already dealing with a crisis. Addiction. One in seven Americans has a substance abuse problem. That’s 40 million people. And, it’s a disease that can happen right in your own home. Just ask the founder and senior pastor of Austin’s Shoreline Church, Rob Koke, who witnessed the suffering of his addicted child. Rob and his daughter, Danielle, join us as part of our Voices series to pull back the curtain on the mind-numbing power of addiction and offer hope and real strategies for those longing for freedom.
Every summer during our Voices series, we seek to amplify stories that seem to transcend our everyday lives but still have an impact that can affect us all. Honestly, we all have stories, and, whether we know it or not, God has a hand in the narrative of each of us. We may be afraid to tell it, but through sharing these stories, we can connect with those around us. We may never realize how our story may become someone else’s cornerstone for healing. Aman Quadri, a Gateway board member, has just such a story.
Ever wanted to be a detective? Follow the evidence? That’s exactly what Los Angeles County homicide officer and former atheist, J. Warner Wallace, has done to examine the claims of Christ. Using the skills and strategies of a hard-to-convince criminal investigator, Wallace approached the New Testament like he would a cold case and recorded his findings in his book, Cold-Case Christianity.
Frustrated with 2020 yet? A pandemic. Injustice. Isolation. An election year. This year seems to be piling it on. As we feel our blood boiling at our circumstances or simply annoyed that life is not happening the way we’d like, we can find ourselves constantly stressed. How can we overcome the brewing anger and impatience that stems from our circumstances? How can we find a path filled with peace and patience despite what the world is throwing our way? Join us as we dig into these questions and more in our four-week message series, Fast and Furious.
Frustrated with 2020 yet? This year seems to be piling it on. And, in our impatience, we want it all to end now. Imagine if you learned to trust that God had better things planned instead of getting caught up in what’s happening in our world? It is possible to navigate this Fast and Furious world with God as our guide.
Happy Father’s Day! Today we’re taking a look at David to help us learn how to be a person after God’s own heart. In this Fast and Furious world, what does it really take to trust God, trust God’s ways, trust God’s timing, and trust God’s process?
How many times have you wanted something and wanted it NOW? Impatience and anger are often just under the surface waiting for us to explode. But we don’t have to submit to that negative pressure. Through the power of God, we can develop the character to tame our Fast and Furious impulses.
In times of trouble, we find ourselves asking, “What now?” We long for a way out, for hope. We look for leadership we can trust and a light at the end of the tunnel. But what greater light is there than Jesus? What can we learn from Him that will help us in our current reality? No matter what your experience has been over these last several weeks, Jesus has the answer. Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
Right now, this planet with everything and everyone on it is living through a pandemic. This seems more like science fiction than reality, but it is very real. Some of us have been sick. Some of us have lost jobs or our business. Some of us know people who have passed away. Some of us have been working to save lives on the front lines. Some of us have struggled with loneliness, anxiety, or depression. And, some of us have fared just fine. No matter what your experience has been over these last several weeks, the question that looms large is, “What now?”
Can life truly be eternal? What will that be like? Many who have had a near-death experience speak of the “City of God.” Will it have art, music, or film? How will we experience life in such a place? Are pets allowed? This week wraps up the What’s After Life? series by answering some of these questions. Before we begin, consider the day you step from this life into the next. Don’t let fear or anxiety take over your mind at this thought. Instead, imagine how great that life will be in the City of God.
Over the past several weeks during our What’s After Life? series, we have learned about the hope of heaven through those that have had near-death experiences. But, not all near-death experiences are blissful. Some are downright hellish. Jesus taught that hell is just as real as heaven, but he doesn’t want any human to go there. So how can a loving God allow so much suffering?
The relationships you have with your children and those around you are important to Jesus. In fact, loving relationships are truly meant to last forever. Those who have experienced heaven speak of great reunions and a love that matters more than we can imagine. Knowing this can propel us to be better parents, spouses, and friends!
Have you ever wanted to be in a movie? Watch yourself on the big screen? That’s a scary thought for some, but for others it’s a dream come true. And, one day, everyone will get their moment to shine. It’s nothing to be afraid of! You will have your very own private screening of your life with Jesus by your side. Many who have had a near-death experience describe it as a “life review.” Even if that brings you anxiety now, our hope is that this exercise will help you understand how the movie of your life can still be a great reward for a life well lived—it’s not too late!
There’s something strange about the intense desire we all have to love and be loved, yet it can be difficult at times to give or receive it. Why is that? C.S. Lewis, an Oxford scholar, once said “creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists.” What do you think will ultimately satisfy our desires? All across the globe, people who clinically die and then resuscitate come back to talk about a God of Light who satisfies the deepest cravings to be known, seen, accepted, and loved—like finally being home with ultimate belonging. But who is this God of Light?
What will heaven be like? Does it even exist? Scripture tells us that heaven is going to be more beautiful, more alive, more exciting, and more real than anything we’ve ever experienced. That can be hard to fathom, but God is trying to get our attention and help us understand that He’s prepared a place. Heaven is not unlike what we can see, smell, and touch here on earth, but is exponentially more intense, breaking into new dimensions of time and space.
Easter is a time to celebrate life and renewal. Today, Gateway is doing just that in homes all across the Austin area and around the world. We’re celebrating that Jesus is alive. But, this is a unique Easter. For the first time in human history, the entire globe is shut in. So many are scared or anxious about death, about life, about jobs, and about family and friends. What can all of this mean? Is God trying to get our attention? Does God really want to give us life and renewal? Yes, He does! God put promises in Scripture and history to illustrate how He wants each one of us to have unending peace, unshakable confidence, and unwavering purpose.
In American culture, independence and liberty are valued highly. Because of this, it’s easy to base life decisions on these desires. But we also view as heroic those who give up their life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for the sake of others. So, how do we handle these opposing ideas, and what does God want us to value most highly?
For many of us, our mentality of “more is better” impacts our lives in a great many ways. Having more can cost us, because it can leave little room for the things that matter in life. The side effects of striving for more can mean fewer deep relationships, more FOMO (fear of missing out), and more unrealistic expectations. How do we let go of the “more” in our lives in order to be truly content?
In our world today, we often feel like we’ve lost control. We search for an escape from the chaos, but many times we look for quick fixes, treating symptoms instead of getting to the root of our issues. We know when life isn’t as it’s meant to be, but we have trouble letting go of control and figuring out what “meant to be” really looks like. How do we deal with things that are out of our control in a life-giving way?
Each of us has a story. God pursues each and every one of us, and the Scriptures tell us that we were born at the exact time in history and place on this planet that might help us best find Him. Join us as some of our leaders share their story of transformation and discover God’s invitation to be a part of the transformation in the lives of those for whom we care.
Each of us has a story. God pursues each and every one of us, and the Scriptures tell us that we were born at the exact time in history and place on this planet that might help us best find Him. Join us as some of our leaders share their story of transformation and discover God’s invitation to be a part of the transformation in the lives of those for whom we care.
Most of us have had times in our lives when kind words lifted us up and harsh words tore us down. Words can impact someone’s destiny and eternity. Keeping in mind the possible weight of our words, how do we change our approach to our conversations in order to make our impact positive? How can adjusting our perspective to an “eternal” one also change the words we choose for ourselves and others?
We can’t change a person’s heart, but we can challenge them in love. And God tells us that as followers of Him, we are called to challenge others to seek God. Although there are great rewards that come from such a challenge, guiding others in this way can be difficult. Are we willing to love people enough to overcome all self-focused fear?
Jesus often asked questions of others, and in that, he modeled an important behavior for us all. People respond best when they feel heard and loved. So, how can asking questions and listening well, like Jesus did, lead to meaningful spiritual conversations with others?
There’s something about teams and working together to win that’s in the human spirit. Maybe what draws us to teams is that we were all meant to be players on God’s winning team. How can we work together to defeat our evil opponent and bring goodness and light to the world around us?
Through the chaotic rhythms of life in which most of us find ourselves, it’s easy to move to the same beat we’ve always known. Instead of growing and maturing, we can get distracted by the things we’re trying to accomplish or acquire and miss out on God’s invitation to experience what matters most: loving and being loved by God and loving and being loved by each other. When we dive into God-centered community, we receive the healing and accountability we need to change our lives and our world through God’s loving grace.
Have you ever known a person who was willing to lay down his/her interests to serve and care for you? Jesus said we are to love God and love people, but these straightforward commands can be pretty tough to follow in our everyday lives. Though the commands involve sacrifice, the payoff is priceless. What could we accomplish together if we were all as servant-hearted as God intended?
Have you ever been a part of a group or had a friend that made you feel truly accepted? God calls us to be precisely this to everyone we encounter. But since we live in a broken world, and we ourselves are so broken, how can we hope to be fully accepted for who we are, let alone be able to easily accept those around us? What if we could view people through the same lens God views us? Are you willing to leave judgments and fear of being judged behind to see and be seen by people through the same lens God sees us?
One out of 25 people in America has had a near-death experience. Their heart stopped beating, their brain waves ceased, yet they claim they were more alive than ever. With improved medical resuscitation, more and more verifiable evidence indicates that life doesn’t end with our last breath— it’s just beginning. So, what really happens after death?
Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
The one thing we all have in common is that we all need hope. No matter your level of wealth, your nationality, or even your religion, our need for hope connects us all. Jesus promises the hope we all desire, and we don’t have to do anything to prove we’re worthy of His love. We can come as we are. Will you accept the love and hope that’s offered so freely?
Have you ever disrupted your own life to help another? To love like Jesus is to do precisely that. Mother Teresa was one of the greatest examples of this—of expressing big love through small deeds. What does it look like to step into small deeds in your life and the world around you?
Jesus’ birth and the sacrifice He made to make us right with God give us the hope we all need. But it’s important for us to share the hope we have with others, even when it means great sacrifice, as we see in the life of Martin Luther King Jr. Are you willing to be radically unselfish in order to help others see the hope we can all have? Will you be an agent of change for the world around you?
The holiday season often includes us celebrating the birth of Jesus. But when we celebrate Jesus, we don’t just celebrate a great teacher or a person who did good deeds—we celebrate the One who rescued humanity and brought hope to all the nations. And because of who Jesus was, our world has seen great leaders who were influenced by His story, like Gandhi. How can we see Jesus’ influence through Gandhi’s legacy, and how can we make sure that others see Jesus’ influence through our lives, too?
Do you think of your life as an adventure? God created us to do life in relationship with Him, and that’s certainly a thrilling journey. But what does it really look like to do life with God and trust Him with our decisions, big and small? What will we experience when we step out on faith and have God meet us there?
Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
It’s been said that we make our decisions, but then our decisions make us. Often, the difference between a life that seems tragic and one that seems well-lived all comes down to the decisions made therein. But making all the decisions we’re forced to make can be exhausting. How do we know if we’re making the right decisions? And how can we set aside our pride and seek help with making the wise choices in our lives that could be life-changing?
In the hustle and bustle of the daily grind, we are all faced with decision after decision, to the point that we often hit decision fatigue. This can cause us to make rash or bad decisions or to even decide not to make decisions any more at all. God offers us a respite from decision fatigue, and he’s promised to walk with us and guide us in making the right decisions in our life, no matter how trivial or important the decision is. What practical steps will you take to move toward putting your trust in God for your decision-making?
What’s going on? Why am I doing this? What’s my part to play? Ever asked yourself these types of questions? Sometimes it’s necessary to step back, ask questions, and discuss together as family and friends to better chart a course forward. On Sunday, as a church, we’ll explore where we are now as the Gateway family and where we’re going in the future. What’s going on in our city? How can we bring life and freedom to those around us? We’ll walk away with some great next steps for each of us personally and together as a church.
Abuse in our society is widespread but often remains a hidden wound for so many. We want to be healed, to live in God’s compassion and grace, but this menace of secret pain continues to flow under the current of everything we do. Even if you have not experienced this type of wound, you likely know or live with someone who has. We can’t escape the effects. We find ourselves or those we love chained, deeply hurt, and separated from the freedom God wants to provide. How can we discover the wholeness that God has for us? How can we share it with those around us who desperately need to hear? During this series, God Heals You, we will seek to learn from experts and hear stories about those who have found this healing from God.
Abuse in our society is widespread but often remains a hidden wound for so many. We want to be healed, to live in God’s compassion and grace, but this menace of secret pain continues to flow under the current of everything we do. Even if you have not experienced this type of wound, you likely know or live with someone who has. We can’t escape the effects. We find ourselves or those we love chained, deeply hurt, and separated from the freedom God wants to provide. How can we discover the wholeness that God has for us? How can we share it with those around us who desperately need to hear? During this series, God Heals You, we will seek to learn from experts and hear stories about those who have found this healing from God.
Abuse in our society is widespread but often remains a hidden wound for so many. We want to be healed, to live in God’s compassion and grace, but this menace of secret pain continues to flow under the current of everything we do. Even if you have not experienced this type of wound, you likely know or live with someone who has. We can’t escape the effects. We find ourselves or those we love chained, deeply hurt, and separated from the freedom God wants to provide. How can we discover the wholeness that God has for us? How can we share it with those around us who desperately need to hear? During this series, God Heals You, we will seek to learn from experts and hear stories about those who have found this healing from God.
During this series, God Likes You, we’ve been working through a letter in the New Testament written to a church in an ancient city called Ephesus. Despite the passing of time, this church is much like Gateway. The people came from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. They had been involved in all sorts of struggles, addictions, and challenges, but they were learning that when your identity is rooted in Jesus we overcome. Our identity is that we are created for a loving relationship with the God. Yes, God loves you, but even more, He genuinely likes who you are, who He created you to be. He knows you, accepts you, wants to do life with you. But, there’s another part to the story that explains why it’s not so easy—evil hates you.
Throughout history followers of Jesus have experienced the importance of having the support of other believers to stand up against tyranny or persecution. We can see many instances where the church would have crumbled had the body of Jesus followers not stood together against a government or ruler that wanted to twist the church for their own purposes. The importance of the body is made evident during these moments as one person, or small group, discovers others standing with them in their most dire moments. From these seemingly hopeless moments, candles are lit, and the light grows person by person to pierce and envelop the darkness that seeks to surround them. What does this mean for you? What can you do to light a candle to pierce the darkness?
Why do we desire love so much? And, why do we often misinterpret love and accept something less that leads to all kinds of hurt and disappointment? We find ourselves being manipulated into aiming our desire at the wrong target, and as a result, end up being robbed of the very thing we desire. What is God’s plan for love? How can we receive it? How can we share it with others? How can we find ourselves deeply rooted in love?
Ever wish someone would walk up to you, nudge you on the shoulder, and simply share what the point of your life is? Wouldn’t that change everything? Instead, we find ourselves giving life our best shot, slogging through, trying different things, and working to discover our purpose. We wander through life often unfilled and dissatisfied. How can we discover our purpose? What is our identity? What are we supposed to do in this life?
Do you feel worthy, worthless, loved, or maybe even discarded? We live in a world where we are measured by our worth, our worthiness. We can find ourselves running on the treadmill of life, constantly attempting to prove our worth and to feel wanted, needed, loved, and worthy. Often we scrutinize ourselves by what we have to offer to others or by what we believe they value in us. We even bring this into how we see God. But that’s not what God wants for us. Our worth is not measured by others or even by Him. It is freely given by Him; not earned nor attained. Are you ready to step off the treadmill of life and stand in the worth that God has freely given you?
When someone pokes at an unhealed wound in our heart, it’s easy to respond with anger, even rage. We fight. We push away. We accuse. Or, we may just withdraw to stay protected. We become trapped. God wants to heal our wounded hearts. He wants to return us to life, joy, and wholeness. What can we do to step into this freedom? Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
How often do you sit back and ask yourself why something harmful or painful is part of your normal? Life moves at such a frantic pace for many of us, so it’s often difficult to make the time to figure out why we blow up at our family for little things, break down when a friend makes an offhand comment, or shut down when work gets really stressful. When these emotional reactions are part of our day-to-day, we tend to think that’s just the way we are. But what if there’s another, healthier way to react?
Last week we learned about the symptoms of an emotional trigger, but what can we do about them? The way to undo triggers starts with humbly admitting that you have one and that you can’t solve it on your own. That humble admission to God provides Him with the permission to show us. God already knows—He knows you better than you know yourself—but He’s not going to force you into anything. Instead He will walk with us to explore the roots of a trigger. The root is based on a wound or a lie, even a partial lie. God can heal you and replace the wound or lie with wholeness and truth. How can you begin?
Have you ever noticed how our society is easily angered or triggered? Just consider road rage, reactions erupting around political issues, emotional battles in marriages, or fear evolving out of the latest news report. In contrast, we desire to be loving, kind, patient, joyful, and self-controlled people. Yet, we all experience things that trigger us. We find ourselves overcome with negative emotions. Anger erupts at a co-worker about an interruption Impatience screams at our children for spilling milk. We react like we’re being physically attacked when our spouse asks a simple question. Or, maybe, we sink into despair from just one negative comment. When a present circumstance should not produce such an intense emotional response, it’s a symptom that you’re being triggered. No one wants to be easily triggered. It hinders us from living in the fruit of God’s Spirit. The first step is to identify the symptoms of when and why we get triggered.
Gateway welcomes Latasha Morrison, certified trainer in cultural intelligence and unconscious bias and recent winner of a one million dollar grant from Facebook for being a cultural bridge-builder. Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
Gateway welcomes Jia Jiang, TED Talk speaker, author, and trainer for top companies and universities on fear and rejection.
Distinguished professor and prolific author featured in secular and religious news outlets, J.P. Moreland shares about overcoming anxiety.
All around each of us are things that can make us feel bound and stuck in our lives. And if we really dig deep, inside of every human being we’ll find a hole in our lives that can only be filled by the love of God. How can we begin to truly trust that the key to feeling both whole and free comes through saying yes to Jesus?
Sometimes we find truly valuable things in the most unlikely of places. For some, it seems easy to skip over the shorter books of the Bible, but the reality is, one page of poetry, one page of a letter, and especially one page of Scripture can change the trajectory of a person’s life. The book of 2 John is no exception to this notion, as the book gives important ways we can love like Jesus did. How could learning to love like Jesus loves change your life and community?
Sometimes we find truly valuable things in the most unlikely of places. For some, it seems easy to skip over the shorter books of the Bible, but the reality is, one page of poetry, one page of a letter, and especially one page of Scripture can change the trajectory of a person’s life. The book of 2 John is no exception to this notion, as the book gives important ways we can love like Jesus did. How could learning to love like Jesus loves change your life and community?
Gateway celebrates the special men in our lives as we honor dads this Father’s Day. Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
None of us likes to experience pain or pressure in our lives. But sometimes the hardest times in our lives can prove to also be the most important times. How can we identify the payoff to our pain?
In life, we all naturally want to avoid pain and discomfort in exchange for comfort, pleasure, and success. But what if suffering didn’t have to be pointless? What if moments of pain could lead us right to the amazing joy we all crave?
In a society that has reduced many of life’s hardships through modern medicine, social justice, technology, and democracy, we’ve become more sensitive to the suffering we can’t escape. We find ourselves crushed by it, sometimes because of trivial things and other times because of true tragedy. If God offers us resilience, joy, and redemption by trusting Him, are we willing to take those steps of faith?
We are all guaranteed to have some difficulties in our lives. But despite the storms of life that inevitably come our way, there’s a way through them that can make us overcomers too. How could shifting our perspective change how we perceive our trials? Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
Gateway campus pastors answer your questions about faith, the Bible, and God in live Q&A sessions. Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
Gateway campus pastors answer your questions about faith, the Bible, and God in live Q&A sessions. Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
Biochemist and former skeptic Fazale Rana shares about the powerful scientific evidence for God’s existence and the reliability of the Bible.
Could any reasonable person really believe Jesus was resurrected from the dead? Does faith require you to simply “take a leap,” or is there proof of who Jesus claimed to be? And why does it matter? What could the truth of the resurrection mean for our faith and our lives as a whole?
Having an unpopular message to share with others can be a daunting task. But just as we need friends and family in our lives to share truth with us, we also serve a God of both truth and love. How can God’s truth, even when tough to hear, lead us to a more hopeful future?
It’s often easy to make our own plans for our lives, and it’s often difficult to let go of those plans when things don’t seem to be going the way we expected. But God tells us in the Bible that He has His own plan for each of our lives, and He promises us that His way will be best. What does it take to let go of our plans and to trust God in every aspect of our lives?
Many times in our lives we experience circumstances beyond our control, whether that involves finances, relationships, family, health, or even the weather. Being human, we often feel the need to worry and try to control the various factors in our lives in an attempt to protect ourselves and the ones we love, but ultimately we don’t have the power. What could it look like to let go and trust God to be in control of all the things we care about so much?
In life, we all go through trials and tribulations that may seem impossible to get through. Moses, a man whose life is chronicled in the Bible, had many such difficult situations. But we learn through his experience that we’re faced with a choice of whether we will act out of fear or whether we will trust God. When times get tough, will you cry out to God, or will you trust in your own limited abilities?
As we step into the community God desires for us, we also find that God gives those who follow Him great gifts. And when we allow the Holy Spirit to use those gifts to serve others, those gifts sometimes show up in supernatural ways. How can we begin to better understand God’s giftings and how He intends for us to use them in community?
When you are part of something bigger than yourself— a job, family, or organization, for instance—you experience how everyone has a role to play in order for everything to run smoothly. In God’s family, His Church, it’s no different. He gifted each and every one of us with a spiritual ability to do something important and necessary that can impact everyone around us. How has God gifted you? Bonus Reading from Not Like Me – Chapter 7, and Chapter 10.
God’s hope is to bring people from all nations, tribes, languages, and ethnicities together into one family. It’s why Jesus came to die for all of us. But oftentimes, this harmonious diverse community is not at all our experience. What leads us to issues in our diverse communities, and how can we overcome the barriers that plague us?
We all long for an ideal community—one where we’re understood, loved, and supported. But that type of community doesn’t come over night. Along the journey to finding a group of folks to do life with, we all face real struggle. How can we build the type of community God wants us to have in our lives, despite the fact that real people come with real problems?
Your work matters! But sometimes you need some encouragement and inspiration to persevere. Each month you'll hear from people leading in the marketplace that are making an impact. This month, Kimberly Watson-Hemphill talks about her journey to lead one of the top women owned businesses in Austin, Tx.
We were created to be in relationship with one another. Many of us struggle with this, however, because we have all been wounded and hurt. But God’s table is set for all—we are all welcome. Are you ready to sit at God’s table and be part of a community that is loving, accepting, authentic, growing, caring, and encouraging?
Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
One of the key aspects of learning to manage and even overcome our anxiety requires us to bring others into our fight. God calls us to do life deeply and authentically with other Christ followers, so we can experience the hope found only in community. What does it look like to invite others into our pain and fears so that we never have to battle alone?
Overcoming anxiety may feel impossible at times. The struggles we experience may seem like mountains too tall to climb. But what if we could be so practiced in habits of mind that anxiety and fears have no chance to take hold?
We have become an increasingly anxious people and developed many habits that can keep us mired in anxiety. But God gives us the groundwork to develop good habits that will help to alleviate those anxieties and bring us peace. Finding God’s peace—one that “transcends all understanding”—requires trust in Him. Do you trust God to remove your anxiety and bring you peace?
Anxiety is at epidemic levels in our society, and for many of us, it is a daily struggle. Coming in various forms, from frivolous worries to debilitating anguish, our experiences may seem unavoidable. But what could be behind all this anxiety, and where can we find hope for true freedom?
When a new year draws near, many of us associate this time with an opportunity to start anew. But often we fail to first explore and acknowledge the roots of the issues that rob us of the freedom we are seeking. How can we look to our pasts to ensure we create strong foundations for our future?
One of the best things about the weirdness of Austin is that it gives us permission to not be perfect. This Christmas, forget about your quest to take the perfect family photo, buy the perfect gift, or act like a perfect person. Instead, feel welcomed to come as you are, as we remember the weirdest Christmas in history and learn how an unlikely King promises peace for us all.
When some people think of God, they conjure up images of an iron-fisted man who binds us with rules and punishes us when we don’t follow them. But God actually desires a life full of joy for all of us. How can we discover and maintain joy in our lives, and how can God use that joy to change the world around us for the better?
We live in a world that often makes us believe taking is best and giving will leave you coming up short. But God demonstrated to us that His economy is one of abundance, where we never have to worry that we won’t have all that we need and more. But believing that you can give instead of take requires trust. Do you trust in God’s example of giving?
Jesus was born into poverty and scandal. He came into the world amidst the stench of animals and their manure. He died as a common criminal on a Roman cross. He taught about the love of God, did miracles that some believed, and others doubted. Forty days after his death, he only had 120 followers left. His life should have done nothing to alter the course of human history, and yet no one has had a greater impact. What impact will you have with your life? Are you willing to impact the world around you like Jesus? We explore these questions as we look at How Jesus Changed the World. http://www.gatewaychurch.com/Challenge/
Although we may all have a great many individual differences, coming from diverse walks of life and having unique life experiences, there are also commonalities that tie us all together. One of those is a desire for connection and the need to feel known and accepted. God offers these amazing gifts, and He invites us to take advantage of them. How will you respond to His invitation?
Encounters with Jesus usually lead to distinct responses, whether positive reactions or negative reactions on our part. But with the knowledge that Jesus is a God that fully sees us and still offers love and grace, even through the difficulties of vulnerability, it is hard to ignore an encounter with Him. How will you respond to God, knowing that He sees you and has compassion for who you are and all you go through?
In our highly divided political climate, many of us have heard that we must vote red, or we must go blue, to be Christian. We tend to attack those who do not think like us and support our values, and thus have reduced God to a set of behaviors and policies. In contrast, what does it really mean to not only know God, but to experience Him on a deep, relational level?
Our stories create a picture for others to see how God enters our lives and brings healing, meaning, and connection, rather than the rules and condemnation we sometimes associate with Him. But how do we face down our fears of others’ reactions and explain how God has freed and empowered us?
To love others well means to serve them. But oftentimes, our own agendas and skewed priorities can get in the way of our putting others first and serving them with a happy and humble heart. What will it take for us to serve others like Jesus did?
God’s greatest commandments were to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. That kind of selfless love for others is a love that engages—one that meets others where they are and is intentional. But what might loving our neighbors, co-workers, and friends in this way really look like day-to-day?
It is often much easier to talk than to listen. Listening actively and engaging in other-centered communication can be a real challenge. However, Jesus showed us that listening is a key aspect to making people feel truly valued and loving them well. How could listening help you better love and care for the people around you?
There are people we encounter everyday, at work, in our neighborhoods, or even in our own home, that may seem happy or content. But many of the people around us suffer with a deep feeling of loneliness—a lack of connection that isn’t always readily detectable from the outside. God demonstrated a love that cared about such connections, and He wants us to continue to intentionally demonstrate that love. How can you show you truly care about those around you?
Conflict is an inevitable part of most any relationship. But often what brings about the conflict or what makes it worse is our tendency to easily see the wrongdoing of others and be blinded to our own. Unhealthy conflict and being overly critical of others can kill a relationship in a hurry. Having created each of us for human connection, does God also offer us a realistic way to save our relationships when we’ve wounded each other?
Relationships can involve a lot of risk. And for some of us, we’re not quite sure the risk is worth the reward. Couple our fear of vulnerability with society’s constant “keep it casual” messaging, and we end up with lots of people avoiding commitment. But could lack of commitment be even more risky than the alternative? What do God and relationship experts say about making our relational risks worthwhile?
Negative occurrences are inevitable in most any relationship. But often what brings about the negativity or what makes it worse is our tendency to easily see the wrongdoing of others and be blinded to our own. Dwelling on the negative and being overly critical of others can kill a relationship in a hurry. But how do we get past the negative habits that seem to come so easily to us?
It’s easy to get lots of mixed messages about love—from the media, pop culture, our families, and the like. But God says the goal of love is to change us to be more like Him. The belief that the purpose of love is self-satisfaction, that it’s about getting your way, can lead to disaster. But how can we avoid the common misstep of inflexibility in our relationships?
Having healthy relationships is a pretty common goal, but achieving that goal can be a real challenge. Why is that? Why is it so tough to have happy relationships and to make those relationships last? One of the most predictive indicators for how a relationship will go relies on communication. Do you listen? Do you feel understood? Is your communication with those around you improving or killing your relationships?
At some point, you will find yourself questioning it’s purpose and meaning. What’s your role in this crazy world? Look to Jesus. He explains our true purpose when He commands us to love God and love others, just as we try to love ourselves. As we experience love on each of those fronts, we discover that our joy and fulfillment skyrocket as we show love life by life with those around us. We find meaning in a boring job, an exhausting day caring for the kids, in difficult relationships, or even in the face of grief and loss. But what can truly loving and being loved look like?
What matters most to you in your life? Is it prestige, money, or something else that could be fleeting? What if we could live for something more? If we lived to love God and love people like He encouraged us to, maybe we’d find something truly worth living for. And maybe, together, we’d even change the world.
Gateway’s own Justin Burke is tackling some of the biggest issues bombarding this social media saturated generation.
Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
Jesus’ radical offer to follow Him and become His disciple was extended to people across every ethnic, social, religious, and economic spectrum, and 2000 years later, that amazing offer still stands for each of us today! But that offer has come at a great cost for many people; for some, the cost seems too high. Is it a price worth paying?
Life often feels heavy or empty as we try to manage all we have with all we want from life, others, and ourselves. Life is frequently referred to as the rat race, as we’re always trying to “get mine” and get ahead. Are you tired of trying to be the ruler of your own kingdom yet, always attempting to force things to go your way? Jesus offers another way, one of rest, peace, and true fulfillment. But first, He asks us, have we counted the cost?
What do you perceive as valuable—God, your family, your friends? The people around us, including our children, spouse, co-workers, friends, and other loved ones all often have a front row seat to see what we truly prioritize and what we’re willing to do in order to keep the things we value. Are God and His will among what you treasure most?
Prayer can be a powerful tool—for healing, for guarding against darkness, and for strengthening our relationships with God. But can just anyone be capable of powerful prayer? How can we experience the advantages of God’s authority by drawing closer to Him through prayer?
Prayer can be a great source of comfort and peace, but for many people—even dedicated Christ-followers—prayer can feel awkward and uncomfortable or become a task we simply look to check off our to-do list. How can we begin to pray in different ways that may reveal varied facets of God’s love for us and His will for our lives? Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
Many people talk about prayer—this idea of talking to God, but for some it can be an elusive practice. What is prayer truly meant to look like? What is its purpose? If we begin to seek answers concerning what prayer is all about and what it can lead to in our lives, what might we find?
The Church isn’t a building or a program; it’s people. And surprisingly enough, it’s primarily run by volunteers. God gives us gifts, and we can use them in great ways, especially to serve others both inside and outside the church. As we serve others with others, we discover how the church is meant to work and how our service reveals deep and meaningful friendships forming as we make a difference in the world around us. How will you get involved?
n a time filled with celebrities and many negative voices affecting the world through their money, opinions, and inventions, it can seem like our sphere of influence is extremely small. But mothers and those that fill mother-like roles are raising the next generation that could have important effects on issues like racism, poverty, education, and the like. Whatever your sphere of influence, are you being intentional in the way you impact the people in your life?
Leadership resources abound and so do leadership clichés. We’ve all been told that, whatever our role or title, we have opportunities to lead (demonstrate influence) where we are. But often our circumstances, including our bosses, co-workers, and family members, convince us that we have little or nothing to offer. What does God say about our leadership potential?
Everyone is equipped with the ability to influence others. But we don’t all use our influencing ability for good, and many of us don’t use this ability at all. How will you take responsibility for the gifts God has given you? Will you be a leader or a follower when it matters most?
The way we respond to failure in our lives often reflects how our parents taught us to relate to it. Is failure a threat to your performance, a dent to your image, a reason to give up? Or is it possible to view failure as a chance to lean into God’s loving forgiveness and learn to rely more on His strength and wisdom?
We’ve all experienced unmet expectations in our lives that have led us to a deep sense of disappointment. Jesus’ early followers, the disciples, experienced this too, when Jesus was crucified on the cross. But God tells us that our hope is found in Him. How can we surrender our expectations to help free us from the pain of our disappointments?
What would it be like to have a life-changing encounter with Jesus? This sort of brush with greatness led to great things for people like Simon Peter of the Bible. And for each of us, although possibly challenging, having Jesus step into our ordinary lives could be the best experience we’ve ever had.
Are you a doubter? Do you struggle with believing things that seem too good to be true? Thomas, a follower of Jesus, struggled in the same way. But in the end, Thomas became a powerful messenger for Jesus, sharing His teachings wherever he went. How can we welcome doubt in a way that leads us to a deeper sense of faith?
When you consider the vastness of the universe – not to mention the seven billion people currently living on our planet – it’s easy to believe that our individual lives lack meaning, purpose and significance. Yet each of us seems hard-wired with a deep sense of hope in something more. Is there anything truly worthy of our hope?
In times of crisis, those of us who believe in God turn to Him for rescue, asking Him to save us from our suffering. Sometimes, Jesus swoops in and changes everything, delivering us and displaying His great power. Other times, He makes us wait, or even tells us no. Can we trust in a Savior who doesn’t always save us from our circumstances? Can we live our lives by faith instead of by sight?
Backstage pass access can often reveal the inner workings of a production, team, or organization. It becomes evident in many cases that there are a great number of people you may never actually see who are crucial to the success of all that goes on. The same is true both in the Bible and at Gateway. There are “hidden figures” or unsung heroes that are invaluable. But such roles come at a cost, as they require sincere commitment. What would it look like to re-order your priorities and be on mission with God?
Having a backstage pass can offer an amazing opportunity to get a glimpse of things we deem as great —bands, actors, organizations, and the like. But God shows us that true “greatness” comes from knowing Jesus and working towards strong character. What would it look like to pull back the curtain and snag a backstage pass to the creation of followers of Christ who seek great character through Him?
God doesn’t owe us anything. Our God is immeasurably superior to us, yet He so loves us, He doesn’t give us what we deserve when we rebel or do wrong; He offers us grace and mercy. This message of grace is woven throughout the Bible, but sometimes it’s hard for us to believe it applies to us. How do we connect with this God that loves so powerfully and radically?
When most people think about following Jesus, they think about all the “rules” and perhaps about a God who only wants us if we’re good enough. Whether it’s preachers on the streets, people yelling with signs, or even the whisper in our own minds that God isn’t interested in us or the messes we’ve made, we’re sometimes afraid to trust in a God who may reject us. Are we going to believe what people, our pasts, and our emotions tell us about God, or will we believe what God tells us about Himself in His Word (the Bible)?
Often times the picture we have of God is one that has Him condemning us for any mistakes and temptations in our lives. We fear such condemnation, which may lead us to try to hide from God. But the true nature of God is one of compassion and mercy. He loves and understands us, but He also wants what’s best for us. How can embracing the graciousness of God rid us from the heaviness of shame and turn us toward a better version of ourselves?
To fire God is not to kick the one true God out of your life; it’s to eliminate the false image of God we all have in our heads. You know the one we mean. Maybe it’s God as a traffic cop, aiming the radar gun at everything you do. Or maybe it’s God as a standoffish stranger, satisfied to leave you alone as long as you just don’t bother Him. How we perceive God determines how we perceive ourselves and how we live our lives. How can we know God’s true character?
In the various areas of our lives, we often confront situations that require wisdom to respond in the best way possible for us and those around us. Sometimes we need wisdom at work with a difficult coworker, at home with an angry spouse or rebellious child, or with friends and other family members. To whom do we turn for wisdom, and is that source actually wise? What would it look like to seek and find wisdom from the God who desires to lead us each and every day?
A tiny seed, receiving consistent watering over time, can emerge into a massive sequoia tree. The choice to humble ourselves, when watered with the active, steady practice of listening, can grow into something strong and enduring – wisdom. Where do you find yourself in the process of cultivating wisdom that comes from humility?
Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
The world sees life as a challenge in which we discover who can achieve the most the fastest. There doesn’t even seem to be much focus on determining if the things you strive for are worth achieving. Hard work is a part of life, but as Christ-followers, we aren’t meant to go it alone or make decisions without careful consideration. How can we begin to live like we understand that we’re not working hard to prove our worth to society, but we’re working hard because we know God sees us as worthy?
For most of us, ringing in the new year involves a lot of honest reflection around how to do life differently going forward. Thankfully, there is no shortage of resources to help us! There are more books, seminars, Ted Talk videos, and podcasts than anyone could digest in two lifetimes. But how do we sift through all the knowledge out there in order to tap into the wisdom that can lead to a lasting change?
A new year is here, and we all want to be better. But perhaps moving forward means looking back, reflecting, and seeking input from the people closest to us. How can we find community that helps us learn from the past and gives us honest feedback, so we can be a better version of ourselves in the new year?
As an adult, how does it feel to give the perfect gift? Now imagine how God must have felt Christmas night—His sense of excitement. Think of all God did preparing for us to see and anticipate the best gift there ever was. Could you imagine leaving such a gift and never unwrapping it? Would you open it but then leave it under the tree unused? What will you do with the Gift this year?
As an adult, how does it feel to give the perfect gift? Now imagine how God must have felt Christmas night—His sense of excitement. Think of all God did preparing for us to see and anticipate the best gift there ever was. Could you imagine leaving such a gift and never unwrapping it? Would you open it but then leave it under the tree unused? What will you do with the Gift this year?
God is changing the world, life by life, as He builds His Church and works through all of us together. He makes epicenters of impact that ripple out from every life—your life and our lives connected to other lives around the world. But when you hear the word “church,” is that what you picture?
Jesus is the ultimate hero. He left the comfort of heaven for a new land on Earth, began working miracles at age 30, and He sacrificed His life for all of humankind—present and future. Jesus’ story is the best story ever told, but did you know each of us has a role in that story? Depending on our decisions, we can be a character who disappears after the first chapter, the villain or the hero of our own story, or friend and family to the ultimate hero, Jesus Christ. How will your story intersect with God’s?
The Bible is an epic story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration, but it’s also an intimate story describing God’s pursuit of a love relationship with each of us as individuals. We need to understand the big picture so that we don’t miss the personal application. Where do we fit into God’s big picture?
When something painful or unfair happens, the natural tendency for many of us is to get caught in the why—what did we do to deserve this? We often feel like victims and become resentful toward the situation, the people involved, and even God. But Jesus offers us a command with a promise: keep your eyes on Me, and I will reward you beyond your wildest dreams. Is it worth it to trust God in life’s most challenging situations?
When it comes to money, the definition of success in our culture is one that’s unattainable. How much do you need in order to say “enough” or before you feel secure? It doesn’t matter how much or little you may have; the answer is always “more.” But what if there’s a way you could really succeed with money? How might it look to follow God’s plan for our finances, and does His plan really lead to rewards we can count on?
Few people have jobs they would consider glamorous. Some have jobs they like — most days. And a handful despise every minute they’re at work. But we all have one thing in common: God wants us to invite Him into our work. If we take the focus off ourselves, off our earthly bosses and co-workers, and focus on working as if the rewards that truly matter are eternal, we’d have clarity and purpose that lightens the load.
Across the globe, money, position, and power are the currencies and driving forces that bring success and rewards. Those things are not bad in and of themselves, but we often fail to realize that there’s a Greater Economy that governs us, and it’s important to be conscious of how we use the world’s economy to gain the Greatest Reward. How do we live for heavenly rewards and not just earthly rewards?
When you look around the world and see destruction, oppression, injustice, racism, and abuse, it seems as if there is something bigger at play. If there is a real war being waged in a realm we can’t see, and there are dark forces at work in this realm, should we be afraid? Can we really say “the devil made me do it,” or is this a battle we can win?
When our friends or acquaintances are going through a hard time, most of us struggle to know what to say. Too often, we fall back on well-meaning clichés to try to cheer them up, but they often do more harm than good. For example, a common phrase we’ll offer is "God will never give you more than you can handle." While we probably mean for that phrase to encourage others to trust God, is this old saying even true?
When times get tough for people around us, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out what to say. We often resort to trite sayings like "God never closes a door without opening a window," hoping to offer comfort and a sense of direction in times of uncertainty or disappointment. But since sayings like these are often misattributed to God and His Word, is the saying even true? When God does seem to close a door, how can we make sure that He’s the one guiding us to our alternate destination?
Scrolling through photos on your phone or computer often brings a few surprises. Some photos churn up memories that aren’t so pleasant to think about. Just like the annoying acquaintance who photobombs every photo, there are things in our life that always seem to show up, seldom welcomed. Whether it’s others reminding you of past mistakes, the family that can’t trust that you’re sober now, your own self-condemnation over secret sins, or the sins themselves — they photobomb our lives. What if you could delete them all with one fell swoop? God has given us a way, through His son Jesus.
New drivers are taught to check their blind spots because they can’t see everything around them in their mirrors. Not only do we often misjudge how others see us, but it’s also all too easy to have misperceptions when it comes to how we see ourselves. How do we start to recognize the blind spots in our lives and move closer to how God views us?
We all grew up afraid of something as children, perhaps monsters in the closet or spiders crawling outside. But generally our parents would make us feel safe. Now, as adults, we have to encounter a whole new set of monsters, like relational conflict or financial ruin. But God offers us a totally different perspective, one where we are more than conquerors. Will we run and quake with fear, or will we find boldness in the security that God offers us?
Have you ever used a filter to project an image that was different from reality? In life, we can end up seeing the world through a filter that actually distorts reality and hurts our ability to live in the fullness of all God intended.
God is the only one who sees reality fully, so how do we remove these negative filters and see the world from His perspective?
The Church isn’t a building or a program; it’s people. And surprisingly enough, it’s primarily run by volunteers. God gives us gifts, and we can use them in great ways, especially to serve others both inside and outside the church. How will you use the gifts God’s given you to get involved?
Above all else, we are to love one another, but this turns out to be a lot more difficult than it sounds. Everyone nods in agreement that they want to love one another, until it gets difficult. How do we practice love that is other-centered and not self-centered?
Relationships are a wonderful thing. We find companionship, comfort, wisdom, strength, intimacy, and so much more with other people…until conflict happens, that is. But when others hurt or anger us, we sometimes feel excused from loving them if that means speaking the truth with gentle grace, which God has commanded us to do. So is it worth it to push through our fear, hurt, and anger to pursue reconciliation in our relationships? How does God want this process to look in our lives?
Despite the fact that most of us may not like change, and even resist it, there’s probably something in our lives we want to change. Change doesn’t come easily, and trying hard can only accomplish so much. If you really want to see changes in your life, you have to train for it and be challenged by the people closest to you. So what does spiritual training and challenging others in love really look like?
God is for us—not against us, and He wants us to be for each other, not tearing each other down. We all want this kind of encouraging environment, but it takes effort to create and sustain it. How should we be encouraging and building up the people around us as God intended?
God allows us to be His partners in helping people find life and freedom in Christ. He often does this through the Church, but churches are made up of imperfect people, and people tend to be both a church’s greatest asset and greatest liability. How do we build others up when we so often need to be built up ourselves?
God wired men and women completely different in some areas. He created men and women to process things very differently. Check out this week's message to learn how to understand the opposite sex better.
Author, speaker, and President/CEO of Franklin Entertainment DeVon Franklin shares his experiences as a Hollywood producer in, "The Hollywood Commandments: 10 Commandments for Life-Changing Success.
Just like a child knows the voice of his/her father, we were made to know God’s voice. Although God is faithful to speak, perhaps you find it difficult to pinpoint what God wants to share with you because you’re not sure what to listen for or because you’re not truly listening at all. How can we recognize God’s voice and respond to what He is whispering to us?
"If you woke up this morning and you're still breathing, your story's not over!" - Laurie Short.
We all face mountains in our lives—huge barriers that impede our freedom and joy and seem impossible to overcome. But what if there was hope? What if there was a promise that we could move those mountains and experience freedom like we never thought possible? What kind of faith does it take to see our mountains moved?
Although Star Wars is intended to look futuristic, each episode starts with, “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away,” letting us know that it takes place in the past. And for most of us, there’s an appeal there because we often glorify our past and get stuck there. But getting stuck in the past can be dangerous. How can we let go of our past and look to things more life-giving?
Executive Pastor Robb Overholt shares how being a father continues to teach him lessons about how our Heavenly Father show His love for us.
In His final days on earth, Jesus gave something called the Great Commission, a command for all Christ-followers to spread God’s teachings to all the people of the world. For many, this is a daunting expectation, but God’s Great Commission also comes with comfort, as He says he’ll be there for all who step out on faith and “go.” Will you trust God and go as He asks you?
God is not surprised when we sin, and there’s nothing we can do to hide our failures from Him. Thankfully, Jesus offers grace and mercy to those who put their trust in Him! But He also tells us to “go and sin no more.” Knowing that we all fall short and will continue to make mistakes, what do Jesus’ words really mean for us?
When Jesus plans to step into a person’s life to bring about radical healing and change, He often sends Christ-followers ahead to be a living picture of His love. If we can push aside our fears and excuses, we are able to be a part of God’s world-changing plans. Will you jump into the meaningful, radically impactful life He’s calling you to, or will you stay content in your spiritual easy chair?
When God calls us to follow Him, it’s not a call to comfort and convenience. God calls us to leave, to go, to follow Him often out of our comfort zone. As we walk by faith and follow His lead, life gets way more exciting than we could ever imagine. Do you view your life with God as an adventure?
Being a mom is one of the hardest and most important jobs there is. It can be rewarding, frustrating, humbling, and so much more. Mothering inevitably shapes identity, and moms shape our futures. Whether you are celebrating your mother, whether you’re a mom yourself, or whether you fill a mom role in the lives of those close to you, it’s important to acknowledge all God has given us through mothers and honor them for all they are. What does God tell us about identity in motherhood, and how can we honor moms as God intended?
We put our faith in people and things every day: the mechanic who fixed our car, the payroll clerk in our office, the labels on the food we eat. Do you consider faith in those things a blind leap in the dark, or are you confident there are good reasons to believe those things? What about faith in God and His promises? What does it look like to truly trust?
Throughout our lives, we are inundated with different perspectives concerning how the universe came to be, how long it’s been in existence, and how different people of different faiths and standpoints might view such matters. Many of us have been made to believe that the Bible and science contradict each other. But is that really true? Are faith and science incompatible, or do they fit together just as God intended?
One of the most difficult questions many of us confront in our faith journey is how a loving God could allow so much evil and suffering if He has the power to stop it. In the face of sickness, loss of a loved one, financial ruin, war, abuse, etc., we are left wondering what the purpose was, whether God cares, and how to find hope in the midst of pain. What truths might we learn about suffering when we ask God the tough questions?
While skeptics may often ask “why,” doubts and questions are not inherently bad—questioning can actually lead to a solid faith. In fact, the opposite of faith is not an unending list of questions, but rather a lack of trust in God. The followers of Jesus were full of doubts and questions that first Easter, yet they found reasons to believe. The truth has nothing to fear—so what are your questions?
Do you ever wonder what motivates us to do some of the things we do? Or what other people are thinking when they do the things they do? Seemingly inexplicable, we think and do things sometimes without even realizing why.
For example, why do we isolate ourselves from others? For the Christ-follower, doing that seems antithetical to God's mandate to go and spread the Good News to everyone, yet we find ourselves doing it. Sometimes we form cliques because we want comfort, or we draw away from others because we fear being hurt.
Senior Pastor John Burke examines the chapter of Luke and how it explains the human nature of isolation, and how we can move away from it toward real connection.
Dying to self can be a difficult and daunting undertaking, but it’s what God calls us to do daily in order to experience true life and freedom. This even goes for our expectations of God. Many of us believe God is good, as long as He gives us the answers we think He should. But it’s important to remember that God, our creator, knows best, and just as Jesus had to die on the cross, an unexpected turn of events for those present during that time, we must die to self and kill false expectations of God in our life to walk in the freedom He promises. What expectations of God might you need to die to today?
There’s no denying the impact that social media has had on life in the 21st Century. Although there are certainly positive aspects of social media, our love for these platforms is a strong indication of the struggle most of us experience with people-pleasing. We care a lot about what other people think, but God tells us that people-pleasing is a distraction from a life that serves Him. Are you more concerned about pleasing God or pleasing people?
What really motivates you in life? What motivates your behavior? Is it money? Power? Perhaps accolades and approval from others? Many of us claim to have good intentions and motivations, but so did Judas, a disciple of Jesus chosen by the Messiah Himself to help in His ministry. Yet Judas was unwilling to admit that what he really worshiped was money, so his greed kept him from experiencing the joy and freedom the other disciples experienced. What might you be worshiping through your thoughts, priorities, and decisions that could also be killing your connection with abundant Life?
Have you ever wondered about the amazing effect of music? Music has the ability to move the human soul—to lift it somewhere beyond the present moment. Its transcendence is remarkable. But what does God say about music? What does the Creator of everything think about our musical creativity, and how does worship relate to all of this?
Did you ever consider that God, as our creator, created us to create? We all have creativity inside of us that can be used, even if we don’t always realize it. Perhaps the key to discovering our creativity will come through discovering our own story and learning how God can use that to impact culture and change our world. What were you created to create?
Jesus promised that if we obey His teachings we will experience life-giving freedom. The modern world also promises life and freedom, and yet so many people who chase after what the world promises are left empty and scarred. What does it look like to truly experience the life and freedom promised by Jesus? What part can we play in helping others experience the best Jesus has to offer?
In this tense political season, it’s easy for us to get caught up in the fervor by attacking or defending various candidates and their policies. Sometimes those attacks turn towards each other in an effort to prove our own point of view; however, Jesus calls us to a different way of responding — a love greater than politics. How can we rise above our differences to love where we live as Jesus demonstrated for us?
For what are you searching? Chances are that it’s something you believe will lead to the “good life” — one that is meaningful and fulfilling. However, even when we’re pursuing good things like healthy relationships and success at work, we still feel like something is lacking. Could what we’re missing be the abundant Life that God is offering us?
As we get older, many of us look at our goals that have gone unaccomplished and careers that might have gotten off track and wonder if we’ve truly lived a meaningful life. Should we measure success in terms of accomplishment or something else? These questions and regrets can rob us of joy. But in Philippians 3, Paul describes where real meaning comes from.
The world tells us to be proud of our success, our power, our wealth and our prestige just to name a few. Yet the irony is while we take pride in those things, we often find our lives still wanting and the important relationships around us adversely impacted. Our feelings about ourselves can actually undermine who we want to be. So of what should we feel proud? Let’s continue to journey through Philippians to find out!
The life of the Apostle Paul is one of hardship, pain and uncertainty, and yet his letters to the early churches are filled with expressions of peace and joy! How did this man, who endured so much, encourage so many to have joy in all circumstances? Let’s take a look at his letter to the Philippians and find out.
Look at your life as a story, like a movie. God is the director. You are the lead role and partner with God in writing the script. You have a calling, a big idea, that God has called you to do. You must discover that vision and develop it into production. Like any good movie, you will face conflict. You’ll have detractors. You will face setbacks, but, if you hold on to your faith and stay true to whom God has created you to be, you’ll succeed.
Life just doesn’t seem fair at times. Why does it feel like God isn’t answering your prayers? Why are you going through the struggles you have? Why does it look like others have a better situation than you? Is God really with you? These questions can create a haunting darkness in your life, making you feel alone and faithless. How can you find faith in the dark?
Many people have come to a point where they believe that IF there is a God, IF he’s offering a relationship, IF he brings some people to Heaven when they die, he wouldn’t for me. His attitude towards me would be, in the words of Alanis Morissette, “But you, you’re not allowed, you’re uninvited.” Perhaps you feel that way because you’ve walked away from God or because of things you’ve done. But here’s Jesus, who claims to be God, and he’s saying, “Come to me.”
Forgiveness is central to the message of Jesus. It’s a simple concept to understand, but it’s quite possibly the most difficult thing to live out consistently in our lives. Without it, there is no way to experience the abundant life and relationships that God wants for all of us so how do we navigate through our unforgiveness?
Our hearts can be our strongest muscle, but they’re also very vulnerable. Wounded hearts can impact our lives for decades. How do we heal from those wounds so that we don’t turn around and wound others?
Conflict is hard, whether it’s in our families, with friends, in the work place or even at church. When relationships become battered, it’s challenging to address it and bring healing. It seems like our natural instincts lead us to all sorts of actions that don’t help on the road to reconciliation. Fortunately, God is committed to healing relationships, and Jesus is a constant guide towards forgiveness.
Have you ever thought about the power of a lie? We live in a world filled with lies, half-truths, deceptions, and now even fake news. Where’s the truth? What’s the truth? Is there truth, or is it all just relative?
Most people concede that Jesus was a great teacher. However, Jesus also made some audacious claims. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” Were Jesus’ claims just fake news made up by His followers? If His claims were authentic, what does it mean to be an apprentice of Jesus? What did Jesus really teach, and how can we understand what He meant when He claimed to be “The Way”?
Professional athletes spend thousands of hours training and practicing for big games like the Super Bowl, but what would happen if they suddenly decided they weren’t good enough, and stayed in the locker room instead? Life can be like that for us as Christians; we think God has big plans for us, but fear or feelings of unworthiness keep us stuck on the sidelines instead of fighting for the win. How do we get off the bench and into the game?
Most of us desire to live with more joy. However, one important barrier that often gets in our way is immaturity in the ways we relate to others. Are there relationships in your life that need mending? Do you have people with whom you long to go deeper? Perhaps the key to improving your relationships is to understand what God says emotionally and spiritually healthy relationships really look like.
Although God promises us many things that are positive, if we follow Him, He also tells us that we will all experience suffering (John 16:33). Though the degree and form of the trials we experience vary from person to person, no one leads a perfectly easy life. While we all experience hardship, we react to it differently, depending on our perspective on it. Will your suffering take from you, or will you take from it, seizing the opportunity to strengthen and grow?
People have an immense power to shape one another in profound ways, including spiritually and emotionally. God made us that way. Growing up, our families shaped us for better or worse (actually, for both). While our family of origin may have passed along good ways of doing life, what do we do with the broken ways?
Growing up physically and intellectually do not guarantee we will grow at the same pace (if at all) emotionally and spiritually. Charting a path of growth towards becoming our true selves requires that we take an honest look in the mirror. Are you ready?
Picking a word of the year is different than your typical New Year’s resolution. It doesn’t exist to be a constant reminder of what you “should be doing.” Instead, it stands as an inspiration of who you really are in Christ and how you want to live. The word invites you to think about who you want to be, who God created you to be. So, choose a word that will help you experience this.
We’re all busy at this time of year and many of us are simply fighting just to keep the peace at home. It’s easy to feel tugged in so many directions. Carve out just a bit of time for your family, and come join us to find “A Place Called Home!”
There are lots of times in life when we need a safe place: when we feel beaten down from the pace of life, when we feel we can’t live up to people’s expectations, when we’ve made a terrible mistake and have no place to turn, when we feel chained to an addiction or stuck in sinful patterns that hurt us and harm others. But where do we turn when we need a safe place?
It seems there’s constant crisis with war, poverty, sickness and natural disaster in our world today. Likely, most of us feel powerless in the face of so much chaos, so we tune out the pain and focus on the near and familiar. However, with refugees here in our own city, it’s harder to ignore the needs that are practically on our doorstep. How can we raise our heads above our own self-interest to see those desperate for us to care?
While most of us are preparing for Christmas, millions of displaced people around the world are wondering what the future holds and whether or not they’ll see home again. It’s a sobering thought. The question is — should we care? Does this matter to us? And why would we talk about this leading into Christmas?
For what are you striving? What are you clinging to in order to get to where you want to be? Me-centered living often seems the best way to live. It can work for a short while, but it ultimately fails us. So how can we put God at our center trusting Him with all things and live a more profound yet Centered Life?
One of our top fears, according to Gallup and other polls, is losing everything. Most of us are wealthier than 6 billion people and yet it’s never enough. We still fear and don’t feel rich when in fact we are. Why is it never enough? It’s ironic. We fear God wants to take from us, when in fact God wants to make us rich — truly rich. But what is truly rich?
Whether single, married, divorced or somewhere in between, we likely all have strong feelings about the idea of marriage. What is God’s perspective? How do we find hope a midst our relational challenges and failures?
There’s a reason the saying, “To err is human,” exists — we all make mistakes. However, there’s a big difference between letting mistakes become a pattern versus allowing God to turn those mistakes into lessons from which we can heal and grow. So what perspective can we gain about the times we’ve had moral failures?
Failure goes with the territory of being human, and the workplace is a hard place to fail because it’s so easy to allow our work, our title or our role in some other arena of life to define who we are. Can God really turn the epic fails of our careers into something that can bring Him glory, and even bless us and others through them?
Sometimes when we make a dramatic spiritual commitment, like doing the 60/60 experiment, we experience a spiritual high. We feel closer to God, more loving towards people and have a renewed passion and purpose. However, the hard part afterward is to risk answering the question, “what now?”
Just like we’re not meant to live without oxygen, we’re not meant to live life without God. Without God in our lives, we’re spiritually dead. Through Jesus, we can have a relationship with God, which makes it possible for us to stay connected to the spiritual oxygen God gives to live life to the full. How do we though keep remembering to breather in this “oxygen”?
We all know there are good things we should do that we resist doing. Fear, pride or stubbornness keep us focused on doing things our way instead of God’s way. How can we surrender our desires and wills to God, who knows what’s truly best for us?
A joyous, intimate, fulfilling, exciting life with God — many of us want it desperately, but we often feel as if it is unattainable. We crave His guidance for our decisions, comfort in our pain, provision in our need, companionship in our loneliness and inspiration in our search for purpose. As we make an intentional effort to invite Him into our lives through the 60/60 experiment, perhaps we’ve had an encounter with God that requires a response. Are we willing to take a risk by obeying His voice?
Do you believe God speaks? Although we may not hear an auditory voice from God, we can know His voice. The Bible is a record of His words. His words were the genesis of all that we see. He is the word. We have nothing else but His words and faith that He is who He claims to be. So how then can we hear His voice?
As we commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11, our question about whether the tragedy made us stronger as a country raises an even more important question. How does God turn evil that affects our own lives into something good? How do we experience “eucastrophe” (Tolkein’s word for joy breaking forth from tragedy)?
The Apocalypse… It’s a Greek word that combines two roots, 'apo' meaning “away from” and 'calypsos' meaning “veil.” The Apocalypse, therefore, is the revealing of God’s great hope and purpose. All of history is heading toward a fulfillment, a culmination of all God’s promises. Most of our lives are spent thinking about the here-and-now –- paying our mortgage, doing our work, loving our families, enjoying our weekends. When you think about the Great Apocalypse, the return of Christ, does it fill you with hope? Or are you confused by what you see in Scripture.
Do you sense the tension between faith and works? We don’t have to prove our worth to God — He proved our worth through Christ. What He wants is our faith, our trust in Him, but as God draws us close and assures us of His acceptance and love, we follow Him doing the good works He created us to do. This tension of assurance is what you’re invited to wrestle with this message.
For what am I destined? Does God have a plan for my life? If so, am I on the right track, or did I screw it up with bad choices? Though if God knows the future and has a plan laid out for me, then what difference do my choices make anyway? If God knows, does that mean all is predestined even evil acts? But if I can choose good or evil, how can God be in control and give me confidence my future is secure?
Is your mind blown yet? This week we’re looking at the challenging question: Do we really have free will or is everything predetermined?
The life of the Apostle Paul is one of hardship, pain and uncertainty, and yet his letters to the early churches are filled with expressions of peace and joy! How did this man, who endured so much, encourage so many to have joy in all circumstances? Let’s take a look at his letter to the Philippians and find out.
We were created for community with others, but building and maintaining strong, healthy relationships can be really hard work, especially when other people are involved! And what happens when those people say or do things that offend us or when we offend them? How are we able to still love them?
Jesus didn’t come to add another religion to the many that were already present. He came to bring something different, a relationship with a loving God. Throughout history, people have tried to earn their way to God, but Jesus was coming to rescue us because He knew we couldn’t make it to Him. With this in mind, how can we engage with our neighbors of different religions and demonstrate Jesus’ love for them?
In our broken world, we are raised with prejudices that result in biases. Our views of others may be the result of our family of origin or where we grew up. The true message of the Bible, however, is all people are made in God’s image and should be treated with the dignity that status affords them. So how might we learn to love each other the way He loves all of us?
Moms hold our world together in so many ways, and because of that, it can be a challenge to hold together themselves. For Mother’s day, we’re focusing on some encouragement and guidance that can help moms care well for themselves as they continue to care for those around them.
Last week, we learned that God loves sex because He created it and meant it to be fulfilling. Like a fire though, it can be destructive when not experienced as He intended in a marriage relationship. For most couples, it’s challenging to maintain a thriving, intimate sexual relationship over time. Our misconceptions of sex, differing expectations and the never ceasing challenges that life brings can all get in the way.
Few topics make people feel as awkward and uncomfortable as sex does. Our popular culture has turned sex into a commodity used to define people’s worth and value. Sex can be a source of great pleasure, but for many who have been wounded by the sexual revolution, it’s become a source of great pain or shame. Many have been taught that God frowns on sex, but is that really true?
Despite all the options that are set before us, it can seem that finding our unique fit is quite difficult. This week we’re looking at how God gives every follower of Jesus unique spiritual gifts for the common good.
In a world that’s more populated and connected than ever, many of us still struggle with the ideas of identity and purpose. Our own human nature and the lies that surround us pull us to extremes, telling us that we’re a failure or that we’re better than others. God wants us to have an accurate perception of ourselves and the part we’re meant to play so we can pour out His love into a hurting world by being the body of Christ – the church.
Do you ever wonder what motivates us to do some of the things we do? Or what other people are thinking when they do the things they do? Seemingly inexplicable, we think and do things sometimes without even realizing why.
For example, why do we judge others? Why are so quick to criticize others, from politicians, to entertainers, to our friends and neighbors, to our own family members?
Rick Shurtz shares the reason why we judge so easily, and how we might begin to develop relationships with other than Jesus called “full of grace and truth.”
We’re drawn to stories and the characters within them, because our lives were placed into an epic narrative. The epic begins with a telling creation story where we learn of God’s great love for all of humanity and his plan to restore all things.
Explore God was a citywide conversation in Austin, a life-changing experience with billboards, discussion groups, and 350+ churches during a sermon series.
The past three weeks were an intellectual dive into the reasons to believe Jesus is who he said he was. We’ve looked at strong evidence to believe God foretold through the prophets exactly what he would do. And we’ve demonstrated through history that Jesus did fulfill these prophecies. Now we move on to the bigger question: "Why does this matter for my life?"
When I was still a skeptic, I would ask, “Well, how do you know God was behind the writing of the Bible?” And they’d say something like, “Because it claims to be from God!” But how do you know it’s telling the truth? “Well…because God can’t lie.” Yeah…but that’s the point, how do you KNOW God inspired its writing?
God does remain hidden, but He also put fingerprints throughout history in the forms of prophecies written down 500 to 1500 years before the birth of Jesus. This week, John Burke discusses how events and prophecies in the Old Testament point directly to Jesus.
When I was young my parents would take us to church, but I’d sit there thinking, “How do you know Jesus is the Son of God? How do you know this isn’t just a myth?" I wanted to believe, but it didn't make any sense at all. When there was no room left to ask tough questions, and no one could explain I left.