Perch.Church: Recent Episodes
Perch.Church
Perch.Church exists to love Jesus & love like Jesus. We do this through our Four Core Values: biblical, relational, open-minded, and service oriented.
We live in a world of contradictions. We are spiritual beings in earthly bodies. We are loving creatures in a hateful world. We are designed for relationships but religiosity surrounds us. What do we do with all this tension? We are called to be people of substance yet we are surrounded by shadows. Well, God calls us not to shy away from the shadows but to enter into it. In fact, God calls His people to enter into the tension that is this world, to not ignore or run away from the contradictions but to live in it and to be a light in the darkness.
Join us on Sunday March 19 as we explore what it means to live in the shadows as people of substance.
Colossians 2:16-23
Let’s be honest, if you’re a spiritual person or a person of faith, you’ve had your fair share of doubts. Everyone doubts sometimes. So the question should not be whether or not we should doubt, The question should be what should we do with those doubts. Surprisingly, God is not only comfortable with our doubts, God actually welcomes them. One thing is for certain, doubt can either bring us closer to God or push us away from God; but doubt will certainly never be neutral.
The passage we observe today shows how even heroes of faith can doubt sometimes.
Doubt keeps us honest. Doubt keeps us humble. Doubt keeps us hungry.
Luke 7:18-23
Everyone waits, but not everyone intentionally waits. When we wait with intention, God works within us to help us heal, grow, and move forward in our spiritual lives. This is what Lent is all about, intentional waiting.
This Sunday we do a deep dive into the role of “shadow work” and examining ourselves as an imperative to healthy spirituality based on Psalm 139:1-15.
What’s the relationship between belief and works? Well, that’s the difference between an active faith and passive belief. We see this everywhere, not just in Christianity. Some might passively believe in social justice and easily talk about it and share it on social media, but how are they actively faithful about it? Some might passively believe in equity, but how are they actively faithful about making it a reality? Faith in God is no different; but if we start by observing our faith in God, it spills over into every other area of our lives.
Perhaps you have heard the expression, “When God closes a door, He opens a window.” But is that always true? If you go looking for that quote in the Bible, you’ll be looking for a long time because you won’t find it in there. But every open door offers new opportunities for the people of God to grow, connect, and love.
What does it mean to have an “open spirit”? Interestingly, I think it might be easier for some of us to recognize when someone has a “closed spirit.” Having an open spirit is essential in recognizing the constant work that God is doing in and around us. It also allows us to receive the blessings God desires to give; sadly, the blessings of God are readily available for all people, many just don’t have spirits open enough to notice them.
The road of life can introduce us to some unexpected people, new experiences, and profound challenges. However, there are many ways many tend to avoid these people, experiences, and challenges along the way. They avoid unexpected people by surrounding themselves with people just like them. They circumvent new experiences because they stay in their little socioeconomic silos. They rarely confront profound challenges because they remain shelters and complacent. But who’s really paying the consequences in the end? When we don’t embrace unexpected people, new experiences, or profound challenges, our worldview remains narrow and we cease to grow.
One of the Four Core Values of Perch.Church is open-mindedness. We believe that in order experience healthy and holistic spirituality, open-mindedness is absolutely essential. But the concept of openness is important in terms of being open to opportunities, relationships, and other spiritual practices. In short, if we are not open, we are not growing.
During spiritually dry seasons, it seems like our spirits are barely trying to survive. We easily distract ourselves with busyness, activities, and entertainment, but our souls are shriveling within. God sends us little graces along the way to help sustain us during times of spiritual droughts. We just have to be able to open our spiritual eyes to see them.
It’s summertime and it’s been hot and dry in Souther California. This begs the question, have you been in a spiritually dry season? Maybe you’re in a spiritually dry season right now. How do we get out of spiritually dry season? Is it simply waiting on God, or is there more to it?
Have you ever felt FOMO? If so, is it possible God wants to grow you through that experience?
Last month Rev. Sam Roberson guest spoke on “Forgiveness” for our Justice Series.
This Sunday, he’ll be visiting again and sharing “A Sad Tale of FOMO.”
Last Sunday we went over the theme of Judgment in our Justice Series. However, it seemed like we just scratched the surface on this important theme. So we will be continuing our discussion on Judgment this Sunday for 4th of July weekend.
Are you guilty of being a judgmental person? Far too often people have looked down on others in judgment because of their lifestyle, social status, or other reasons. I have found that as I have gotten older, I am becoming less and less judgmental and more and more understanding. There are probably many reasons behind this, but one big reason is because I have suffered and learned from my sufferings. One truth I’ve realized is that judging your neighbor is the beginning of hatred.
Jesus taught us to forgive our enemies and pray for those who offend us. Isn’t that annoying? But Jesus actually gave this command because of His concern for His followers and not the offenders. Forgiveness is a gift for the forgiver more than the forgiven.
Justice is something we all want. In fact, justice is a God-given desire innate in everyone. Yet, how many of us are willing to do the difficult work of looking inward and asking ourselves how we’re embodying justice in our own lives? While it’s easy for us to point fingers and blame others for what’s wrong with the world, what is God calling His people to do in times of turmoil, division, and injustice?
Justice is something we all want. In fact, justice is a God-given desire innate in everyone. Yet, how many of us are willing to do the difficult work of looking inward and asking ourselves how we’re embodying justice in our own lives? While it’s easy for us to point fingers and blame others for what’s wrong with the world, what is God calling His people to do in times of turmoil, division, and injustice?
Today we will lament and observe prayer reflecting on the tragedy that happened in Uvalde, TX this past Tuesday.
For those watching online, please follow along with the Bulletin Attached.
5.29 Bulletin
Do you have any addictions? I have an addictive personality so I have to be careful what I consume. But lately, I’m trying to have a different approach towards addiction. Perhaps addictions are just another form of bonding; all human beings have an innate need to bond with others. I would also argue that all human beings have an innate need to bond with God. If human beings cannot bond with God or others in healthy ways, they’ll bond to something else like drugs, alcohol, pornography, or gambling. As journalist and researcher Johann Hari explained in his widely viewed TED talk, “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it’s connection.”
Have you ever felt stuck in your life? Perhaps you’ve felt stuck vocationally, relationally, or financially.
But have you ever wondered if you’ve ever felt stuck spiritually? Since 2020, it seems like most people are spiritually stuck but are either clueless as to how to overcome or they’re utterly oblivious to their own spiritual state. We will explore this important, relevant and rarely examined phenomenon of feeling spiritually stuck.
A common misconception that many people have regarding faith is that all of our questions will get answered, all of our doubts will be erased, and all of our struggles will be disappear. In fact, often times our faith calls us into asking more questions, causes us to have more doubts, and makes us endure greater struggles. So why would anyone in their right mind become a person of faith? It’s because spiritual growth and peace is found in the questions, doubts, and struggles. Staying in the valleys of life will ensure one thing: we stay exactly the same. It’s precisely when we traverse the mountainsides and enter into the wilderness where genuine spiritual wholeness is found.
Faith invites us to enter into the wilderness.
Have you ever wondered what happened after Jesus’ resurrection? As we learned last week, Jesus’ resurrection was first experienced by a handful of people. Over time, more of Jesus’ followers witnessed Jesus’ return from the grave, but His resurrection was never meant to be for the crowds of spectators like some of His miracles, His entrance into Jerusalem, or even His death on the cross. Yet after His resurrection, Jesus hung around for 40 more days before He ascended in heaven. But why? Well, it’s because Jesus’ resurrection was only the beginning, not the end. It was a restart.
The definition of hope can differ from person to person. When people speak about hope in a spiritual sense, it might mean believing good things will happen with faith in God. For others, it might mean always looking on the bright side and seeing challenges as opportunities. In other words, always “hoping for the best.” Merriam-Webster’s definition makes “hope” seem close to “wish.” “To cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true.”
In general, hope is the belief that life will get better. Now, that could mean that your circumstances may not change; maybe you’ll change to be able to better handle life’s difficulties. Perhaps God will send people your way who will help carry your burdens. Maybe God will give you a spiritual fulfillment that will outweigh the hardships.
I don’t know about you, but my life is still really difficult. One thing is certain, it is impossible to experience any joy without hope. This is what Easter is all about: hope.
There’s an old adage: all roads lead to Rome. The reason why this saying came to be is because the Romans developed an advanced road system that connected various cities in their expansive Roman Empire. In ancient Jerusalem, however, there was only one path to Jerusalem because of where the city was situated on top of a plateau. The walk to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was the longest walk that Jesus ever took in his life because he knew what waited for him in that holy city; joyous welcome, healing miracles, meals with friends, malicious religious leaders, and his death on a cross.
We all walk long roads sometimes in our lives that lead to heavy endings. These ends are often mixed with positive and negative experiences. Yet thru it all, God has a purpose or purposes behind them. While not “everything happens for a reason,” we can always learn, grow, or heal from every experience.
Have you or someone you know gone through a difficult divorce, separation, or breakup? Then you may want to check out our next Sunday Seminar on “Life After Separation.” Many people separate from longterm relationships, but not many people put a lot of thought and intention into how they should recover or heal from the loss, grief, and hurt associated with the separations. Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Roy Kim will be sharing about what commonly happens after a separation, how to move forward with life, and even being healthier as a result.
It’s been almost exactly two years since we’ve Covid was declared a global pandemic with various quarantine, mask, and social gathering mandates. Things are finally opening up again and life can move forward, but life doesn’t feel quite normal. In fact, many parts of our lives feel messier than ever before. Countless businesses closed down, many relationships are broken, and communities are left in shambles.
According to the Four Stages of a Crisis, it appears we are entering the Third Stage of a Crisis, which is called Chronic. This is the “Clean-Up” stage. After the dust has settled, you assess the damage done and you start to cleanup the broken pieces. Most of us have never been this way before, which is why we need guidance from God, support from a community, and love for ourselves.
As a brother from Perch recently suggested, “Just take it one day at a time.”
That’s all any of us can do right now. Take it one day, one step, one task at a time.
Have you been waiting for change? And what are your thoughts on waiting? Perhaps you think its a waste of time, a void, or counter-productive. What if waiting can be more than that? What if waiting is good for the heart and spirit? God designed our lives to have periods of waiting interspersed throughout. While most people live for the “big moments,” we can easily look down on the periods of silence, stillness, and in-between. If done correctly, waiting for change can profoundly change us while we’re waiting.
Everyone has some varying degrees of regret in their lives, that is everyone who is relatively healthy and able to self-reflect. If you’re honest with yourself, you probably have your fair share or regrets too. But is there such a thing as healthy or unhealthy regret? Interestingly, the Bible has much to teach us on this topic. As long as we’re able to distinguish between healthy/unhealthy regret, able to self-reflect, and process our regrets well, we need not be afraid of regret; rather, we can embrace it has a part of life and a welcome teacher.
”Keeping it real” means something different for different people. For some, it means being brutally honest despite hurt feelings and damaged reputations. For others, it means being true to yourself regardless of how it affects those around them. But have you ever wondered what the downside might be to “keeping it real?” And what about self-awareness. How can one “keep it real” if they’re not very self-aware?
In this time of “cancel culture,” it feels like almost anything you say, do, or stand for can get you excluded. Unfortunately, it’s no different in many American churches. “If you’re a Christian, you have to vote for . . .” “If you’re not an affirming church, you’re a bigoted church.”
While it is the Church that’s supposed to be changing and shaping culture, it seems as though the Church has become a mirror image of culture; acting and behaving just as antagonistic as the rest of the world. In many ways, the Church needs to be the most exclusive AND inclusive organization the world has ever seen. The Church is the most exclusive organization in the world because we believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. On the other-hand, the Church is the most inclusive organization in the world because we believe everyone should “come as they are” and the hospitality is extended to all. Jesus was rejected, despised, and canceled by the world; but Jesus needed to go through that horrific experience in order to have all of us feel embraced by God’s love.
What makes you want to fight? As human beings, we have an inherent primitive instinct to fight when we feel threatened. Perhaps this helps explain why many people have been so belligerent and combative the past two years because we have all been in survival mode. It seems as if we have seen the worst of humanity lately ranging in everything from racially charged murders to attack on the capitol. What people rarely talk about is also the best of humanity that has been displayed; millions have American citizens have rallied together in protest of racial injustice; people have donated more to charities on Giving Tuesday 2021 than ever before; and 80% of Californians have gotten the Covid vaccine, which is higher than we’ve ever seen for the influenza vaccine. This tells us that everyone has varying degrees of “fight” in them; they will either fight a “good fight” or a bad one.
What are your thoughts and reflections on failure? Most people typically think in one of two ways: failure is something we try to forget or failure is something we are ashamed of. Rarely will people embrace failure as a way of life. Yet, that’s exactly how are to approach failure if we want to grow spiritually. In Western culture, we often think dualistically: “success is good; failures is bad.” But the two are inseparable from one another. They are two sides of the same coin.
What does spiritual growth look like? Is it up and to the right? Or is it more complex than that?
Many people of faith take cues from the world around us to help explain spiritual maturity. But those metaphors are not always the most helpful because the kingdom of God doesn’t operate like the kingdom of the world. The kingdom of the world rewards the proud and punishes the humble. The kingdom of the world uplifts the bold and cuts down the meek. Maybe spiritual growth is not up and to the right. Maybe spiritual growth is not even linear at all.
What does true unity look like to you? I’ve been in contexts where unity looked like conformity; everyone has to think, act, dress, and behave the same way. I’ve been in contexts where unity looked like control; everyone lives the way they’re instructed. But I’ve also been in contexts where unity looked like diversity in communion; different voices, styles, behaviors, and backgrounds coming together for the common good.
As a person trying to create a new community that strives for unity, I’m learning this truth:
Healthy unity embraces individual uniqueness.
Unhealthy unity controls individuals through conformity.
What are you afraid of? And how much of your decision-making is based on fear? It seems like everyone around us is freaking out these days because of omicron. But how much of our fear is based in reality?
For example, if you look at the NY Times graph below, your eye naturally gravitates toward bright red line, which is the dramatic spike in Covid cases in the last month. However, that’s actually the least important data on the graph. You’ll notice that hospitalizations have not increased as drastically and that death rate has virtually plateaued. Yet, it seems like the level of fear in our culture is hyperbolically heightened. Why is that? Who benefits from your increased level of fear and panic? Do small business owners benefit? Or is it the people who control the news, social media, and technology?
We’ll be pushing some buttons Sunday as we deep dive into our subconscious as we strive to have a healthy “Perspective On Fear.”
Happy New Year? Another year, another surge, another, well, everything. Do you remember when 2021 new year rolled around? Parades were cancelled, holiday parties were shut down, and most people were working and attending school online. We naively thought 2021 would be better because the vaccine was more readily available. Now as 2022 rolls around, people tend to look forward to it with far less excitement than they used to. What do we need to get through this new year without fear and anxiety? We don’t need the toxic positivity that we see flooding our social media feeds. Nor do we need to get angry at every institution and lash out at everybody.
What we need is a NEW PERSPECTIVE.
ABOUT SUNDAY’S THEME As we’re all aware, the Covid-19 pandemic has swept the world the past two years and has left millions dead. Yet there’s another surge not many people are talking about; the sharp rise in anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. This highlights a deep-seated problem within humanity; the lack of emotional, mental, and spiritual health. What happens when people are prevented from engaging in regular activities that regularly distract them from their loneliness, sadness, and internal fears? All of those feelings will eventually come out. This is precisely what we are witnessing right now. And this is precisely why Jesus came into the world. Jesus came in the midst of darkness, disparity, and desperation. Jesus came to give humanity hope, peace, and guidance. Jesus is our North Star.
What happens when you skip over the good parts of a movie and jump to the end? You miss a lot of what the filmmaker intended for the viewer to experience. You have a limited view of the story. And you miss out on a lot of the benefits of the journey.
Often times when it comes to faith, people want to gloss over the hard parts or bail as soon as things get difficult. When we do this, we miss out on a lot of the ways God wants us to grow, mature, and experience life.
We shared earlier three different ways of expressing gratitude and how it can help us become more grateful in our lives. But what are the great obstacles or enemies of gratitude? Since gratitude needs to be regularly practice, gratitude is a practice that needs to be intentional and exercised often. If we are not cognizant of the things that discourage gratitude, then we will inevitably drift into complacency and entitlement.
ABOUT SUNDAY’S THEME
Did you know that a life of gratitude can lead to healthier relationships, longer lifespan, and generosity?
Even more prevalent is that gratitude begets generosity begets spiritual vitality.
How does grateful generosity manifest?
Can healthy spirituality and anger coexist? Also, can gratitude and anger coexist? When some people think of enlightened individuals, they think that anger cannot be part of that equation. But some of the most spiritual people in modern history were people who were angry about injustice; MLK, Ghandi, Mother Teresa, or Rosa Parks. Yet, remaining in a state of perpetual anger is not helpful either
ABOUT SUNDAY’S THEME
Did you know the opposite of gratitude is actually entitlement? In fact, we live in a very entitled culture, especially in Los Angeles. Most Americans believe that we have what have in our lives as a result of our determination, talent, and hard work. While we can stop to enjoy life, how often do we really stop to express and acknowledge gratitude?
The mission statement for Perch is “a hospitable community for spiritual wanderers.” Hospitality is very important, not only to our church but to faith as a whole. In fact, the reason why we can even call ourselves the children of God is because God extended hospitality to us, welcoming us into his family by extending the invitation of unconditional love. This is why the spiritual practice of hospitality is so important yet often neglected. We will conclude October’s “Neighbors” series this Sunday by exploring hospitality.
We all know that we all run into conflict with our neighbors, friends, and family sometimes. But did you know that conflict is necessary for healthy relationships? If Jesus calls us to be peacemakers, that means that conflict is a required step in order for peace to come to fruition. Being a peacemaker is very different from being a peacemaker.
Last week, Al Han shared some of the valuable life lessons he learned over the past year as a hospital chaplain… love and let go, love anyway, and love by listening. This Sunday he will be concluding this message and you will find that much of what he shares to be applicable in your own relationships, including how to truly love your neighbor.
After a two week hiatus, Al Han is returning to share some of the valuable life lessons he learned over the past two weeks and past year as a hospital chaplain. You will find that much of what he shares to be applicable in your own relationships, including how to truly love your neighbor.
This Sunday we have a very special guest speaker visiting Perch, Randy Choi. Randy has been a friend of Perch Pastor Al for nearly 20 years since grad school days. He has served in Los Angeles for many years as a pastor, working in non-profit, and volunteering in inner-city. He is currently a real estate agent and a newlywed to his wife Alex. He’ll be giving the first message in our new series for October.
This Sunday we have a very special guest speaker visiting Perch, Nick Warnes. Nick is the Founder and Director of Cyclical Inc., which is a non-profit supporting church planters, pastors, and entrepreneurs in the greater L.A. area. He has been a friend of Al Han and avid supporter of Perch.Church since its inception so he is excited to visit to give a message on “Spirit-led Joy.”
Do you have friendships? What about deep friendships? As a man, I find it difficult to find other men with whom I can have deep friendships. I have too many friends I can watch sports, drink beer, and have fun with. I do not have many male friends I can cry, pray, or be vulnerable with. Yet, this is the type of friendship that gives us joy and helps us become better people. So is there something wrong with me? Or is there something wrong with the world we live in?
How often do you think about the afterlife? Probably not too often. How often do you think about what you’re going to do tomorrow? Probably everyday. Not only is this normal, it is the way God intended. For far too long, the Church has made the afterlife the central focus of the faith. However, in actuality, Jesus spoke very little about what happens after we die and spoke a great deal about how we’re supposed to live our lives here on earth. It’s not that the afterlife is not important; it’s just that our lives here on earth is more important.
Can you use more JOY in your life? And what is JOY, really? Is it simply synonymous with happiness or is there something more to it? While happiness is an emotion, joy is something much deeper, permanent, and spiritual. Join us throughout the month of September as we discover what true joy looks like and how we can find it in our lives.
Last weekend, we took a look at how everyone can easily drift into conformity to culture with the theme of “Toxic: Culture.” This Sunday, we conclude our “Toxic” series by exploring what makes a system toxic. What are the three toxic traits you should look out for when working, living, or dealing with a system? We will also discover the fastest growing religion in America.
Last weekend, we kicked off a new series “Toxic,” as we explore various areas in our lives that are often toxic beginning with “Toxic Leadership.” This Sunday we go deeper into these theme by exploring “Toxic: Culture.”
When left unattended, everyone drifts into conformity. It takes focus, effort, and intention to continually grow in faith. When our faith is neglected, it is easy to simply become a lemming to the culture we inhabit. Join us this Sunday 11am as we explore toxic culture together.
This weekend, we kick off a new series “Toxic,” as we explore various areas in our lives that are often toxic beginning with “Toxic Leadership.”
What does Toxic Leadership look like? And how do we remain vigilant, virtuous, and levelheaded under a toxic leader? We have all experienced toxic leadership before or run the risk of becoming a toxic leader ourselves. Believe it or not, there actually is a simple formula to toxic leadership.
Skills + ________ – ________ = Toxic Leadership
How many paths have you gone down only to realize that’s not the way you’re supposed to go? If you have, you’re probably on the right track. Our Western culture tends to teach us that failure is loss when in actuality failure is an essential part of maturity, release, and self-discovery. How many times did God get rejected by Moses before Moses accepted the call to lead his people out of slavery? How often did Ruth get dejected by society until she discovered her true calling? How many people rejected Jesus whom were the very people He vowed to love?
In order to know the right path to go, we have to encounter a series of ‘no.’
This Sunday, we conclude our “Create” series with our exploration of what it looks like to “Create: Your Own Path.” There are many voices in our culture, family, and social circles that tell us what our path is supposed to look like. But your own true path is between you and God… that’s it. Jesus came to give us life and life to the fullest. The only way you can decipher where you belong is to pay attention to the God-given voice within you.
What does it look like dream with God?
God created humankind in His likeness, which means human beings are called to be co-creators with God. The dreams that God placed in the hearts of every individual are like signals to the divine within.
Join us as artist, entrepreneur, and community leader Dea Jenkins leads us in a creative exercise of discovering the dreamer within.
Genesis 28
Have you heard of pseudo-community? Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck popularized this term in the 80s when he laid out the Four Stages of True Community. It is when members are extremely pleasant with one another and avoid all disagreement. People tend to withhold some truth about themselves and their feelings in order to avoid conflict. Individual differences are minimized, unacknowledged, or ignored. The group may appear to be functioning smoothly but individuality, intimacy, and honesty are neglected. Unfortunately, most communities people experience fall into this category. Yes, even most churches.
As we gather together this Sunday 11am at Honeybird in La Cañada, we will explore this concept of four stages of true community together and why we felt strongly to create Perch as a hospitable community for spiritual wanderers.
ikigai: is a Japanese word and concept meaning “reason for being.”
When God created humankind, he created them in His own likeness. Humans are uniquely created to mimic God in the way we live out our lives. In short, we are created to create. The fact that this word exists in Japanese and not in English tells me that many Japanese people have wrestled with this concept in great depth. Perhaps when a teenager, college student, or young adult is struggling with what to do with their life, they start with one of the four big circles… “What will pay me?” or “What am I good at?” Maybe if you’re fortunate enough, you can begin approaching one of the overlapping areas like “Vocation” or “Mission.” Very few people in the world achieve the center of their ikigai, or in other words, how God designed them to be in heart, mind, body, and spirit.
Genesis 1:1-3, 27
Guest speaker Inés Velasquez-McBryde reminds us of the importance of having healthy rhythms of life during difficult times of transitions. In order to remain spiritually healthy, we need rest, solitude, and community in regular rotation in order to make big impacts in the world. Even when someone is often doing what they're supposed to be doing, we all need rest, solitude, and community. As theologian Howard Thurman said, "The hunger inside our hearts is God calling out for God."
Matthew 14
Everyone goes through significant changes in life, but not everyone handles those changes well. What if seasons change for the sake of our spiritual growth and not simply because they have to? How is God inviting us to experience life in a new way with all of the transitions we’ve experienced in the past year?
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
Many of us have been in a state of spiritual slumber for the past year. During this time of transition, God is inviting us to wake up. As we gradually go back into our offices, classrooms, and restaurants, make we not neglect our need to tend to our souls through private prayers and corporate community. Join us tomorrow as we discover the ways God is waking us up. We will definitely be going unfiltered and off-script with this one.
Ephesians 5:8-20
Who said the Promised Land would be problem free? Even though the Promised Land is better than the previous place, there will still be obstacles, struggles, and temptations. While this past year during Covid lockdown felt like we were wandering around aimlessly, entering into a "new normal" will bring upon a new set of problems. There are three promises God gives us that we need to be mindful of as we continue our journey to the next place.
Joshua 1:1-9
Are you haunted by something from your past? Perhaps you have a past trauma, mistake, or wound that seeps out in your conscious or subconscious behavior. There's a famous line in the critically acclaimed film "Magnolia" that says, "We may be through with the past, but the past isn't through with us." Often times, we allow our past to influence our thoughts, habits, and motives in more ways than we realize. But how does God treat us with our respective histories? Does God condemn or define us according to things we've done or things done to us in previous years? This intriguing interaction between Jesus and the Samaritan woman reveals quite a lot about God's grace, non-judgment, and compassion towards people with a questionable past. Likewise, how does God treat you with your own past?
John 4:1-26
There’s one lesson I learned recently as a hospital chaplain; nearly everyone believes in some form of spirituality. While patients come from different faiths and backgrounds, I’ve yet to meet someone who believes in merely the physical world. People may call it God, Higher Power, or Mother Nature, there is an undeniable longing deep in their hearts to connect with the Great Spirit of this universe. I literally encounter this everyday as a hospital chaplain with patients who are often ill, vulnerable, and very honest. It’s difficult to be an atheist while lying on a hospital bed.
This is precisely why God gave us the Holy Spirit. Our great Mother Spirit came into the lives of Jesus' followers 2,000 years ago to unite them, enable them, and fill them with joy. This is why She came at the day of Pentecost and this is why She enters into our lives now.
Acts 2:1-13
Do you know what it’s like to feel like the odd person out? You don’t necessarily have to a POC in order to have experienced this; maybe you’re a liberal in a family of conservatives; perhaps you’re a bookworm in a friend group of partygoers. In many ways, the POG (people of God) are called to live as exiles in this world. The values, lifestyles, attitudes, and worldview of the POG should stand out from the rest of the world. Live as light in darkness, bring life to dead places, carry justice to the nations, and set free the captives.
Daniel 1
Have you ever experienced Imposter Syndrome? Imposter Syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. These past 13 months have thrust many into feeling like an imposter, insignificant, or indifferent. There have been many transitions in people's lives in the past year that can cause some to feel one of these three ways. By looking at the dialogue between the great prophet Moses and God, we see these three struggles of self playing out in real time. If you've ever gone through these struggles yourself, this message will uplift you.
Exodus 3 & 4
Liminal is the "in-between" space where many of us often feel stuck. This is precisely where we are as residents of this planet; while we taste goodness here and there, this world is far from "good." While we get glimpses of justice, we do not live in a completely just society. Ironically, Jesus is very familiar with liminal spaces. Before He began His ministry, He entered into a liminal space for forty days where He fasted, prayed, and was confronted with three temptations. These three temptations are the same ones we were confronted with this past year during lockdown, which was our form of liminal space.
Matthew 4:1-11
Do you know the opposite of faith is not doubt? If you really think about it, doubt is a necessary element in order for faith to exist. So what is the opposite of faith? Author Anne Lamott said it well in her book Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith; “The opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty. Certainty is missing the point entirely. Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness and discomfort, and letting it be there until some light returns.”
Rev. Lauren Blanco unpacks a well-known interaction between Jesus and Disciple Thomas as an honest, intimate, and surprising example of faith. If you’ve ever doubted God before, you need to listen to this message: Permission to Doubt.
John 20:19-31
The story of Jesus is an age-old story; Jesus lived a perfect life, performed many healings, miracles, and teachings to show his divinity, died on the cross for the world's sins, and resurrected on the Third Day, which Christians now celebrate as Easter Sunday. But have you ever asked why Jesus resurrected? Did Jesus resurrect for a political reason? Did Jesus resurrected simply to get people into heaven? and for whom did Jesus resurrect?
Luke 24:1-12
What does Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem 2,000 years ago have to do with us in 2021? More than you may realize. Racism, sexism, and elitism are not new inventions, yet they seem just as prevalent now as they did in ancient Jerusalem. While most kingdoms of the world rule with sword, dominance, and fear, Rev. Lauren Blanco reminds us that Jesus’ kingdom is one of steadfast peace, unmerited mercy, and unconditional love.
Mark 11:1-11
March 19 marks exactly one year since California issued its “stay-at-home” order to all of its residents with the rest of the United States to follow shortly thereafter. As a result, the past year has revealed how truly depraved and dark our world has become ranging from global pandemics, civil unrest, and hate-crimes committed against BIPOC. The only thing that can truly save humanity is Jesus Christ; not “save us so that we can go to heaven.” Jesus Christ is the only one who can save us from ourselves in the HERE and NOW. Repair the brokenhearted, bring freedom to the captives, bring good news to the poor, release the prisoners, and comfort those who mourn.
Isaiah 61:1-3
Since the beginning of time, the earth was shrouded in mystery and wonder. When God calls us to be people of faith, God calls us to step into mystery, enter into the unknown, and get out of our comfort zones. While human being love our enclaves of comfort and security, we were never designed to be creatures of safety; we were created to take regular steps of faith. Faith can only exist when mystery exists.
Matthew 14:22-33
Recent hate crimes committed against Asians and Pacific Islanders in America go in direct opposition to the good news of Jesus Christ. When God created humankind, He created everyone in His image, His likeness; every people group, every ethnicity, every language. But for those of us who are AAPI or have friends who are AAPI, how are we to live? Anger, grief, and frustration are normal responses to everything that's been happening in this nation, but there are also pragmatic steps we can take to overcome feelings of hatred.
Galatians 3:23-29
America's economy thrives off of our addictions. The more people eat, consume internet, watch TV, or do social media, the better America's economy performs. This has led to Americans having addictive personalities. But what's so wrong with addiction? Why should we restrict ourselves of anything? Is it really detrimental to our health?
Proverbs 23
Have you ever fasted before? Fasting is not a practice just for the uber-religious; in fact, especially if you don’t consider yourself religious, you should fast because there are innumerable psychological, emotional, physical, and spiritual benefits of fasting. We tend to binge on things that aren’t too good for us and I tend to deprive ourselves on things that are better for us. This is precisely why we fast. We fast from the things of this world so that we can hold fast to the things of God. We detox ourselves from certain pleasures so that we can be more grateful for the things that we have. It has been said that “man does not live on bread alone.” But what happens to our spirits when we have too much bread?
Matthew 6:16-21
Since many of us started living in quarantine in March 2020, the line between workspace and homespace has become very blurry. We work from our phones in bed, we take our laptops to the dinner table, and we even do work from the toilet. This is caused us to neglect caring for our souls. Binging on Netflix and mindlessly scrolling on Instagram may be a way of ceasing from work, but it most certainly is not sabbath. So what is required for sabbath and why is it so important for our souls?
Exodus 20:1-2, 8-11
Everyone has an opinion these days. Am I right? Dad jokes aside, we do live in a time when most people seem to be slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to anger. Yet, God challenges His people to do the exact opposite... be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Since the dawn of the internet and social media, everyone has a platform where they can voice their opinions. While this has had many benefits, we can also recognize that most of the opinions out there are not constructive and do not make this world a better place. But why is it important to be quick to listen and slow to speak? This is what we attempt to address.
James 1:19, 3:1-12
Spiritual Growth happens slowly, which means it cannot be forced, faked, or manipulated. But what are the steps toward spiritual growth? The American Church has been preaching the gospel of celebration and triumphalism for decades, which has led to destructive results. This was on display for the entire world to see on January 6 at the insurrection in the nation's capital. When we don't go through the proper steps towards spiritual growth, Christians run the risk of having a faith that is immature, one-dimensional or shallow.
1 Corinthians 13:8-13
God is giving us an important word for 2021 that we all need to hear... SLOW THE F DOWN. Even though it's a new year, it will take several months to go back to "normal," and we don't know what that new normal will really look like. But if there's one gift that 2020 has given us in its great year of disruption, it is to SLOW THE F DOWN.
We hope this word can serve and benefit you as we start this new year together.
Matthew 11:28-30
The Roman Empire in the 1st century was pursuing the same thing that God pursued when He sent Jesus Christ into the world: peace on earth. However, the Roman Empire's idea of peace was very different from Jesus' idea of peace. Likewise, the 21st century American idea of peace is very different from Jesus' idea of peace. Jesus came to bring true peace to the world, but he was not born into a modest family instead of a royal family; he was surrounded by animals at his birth rather than a doctor or extended family; and he was placed in a manger instead of a crib. The world brings about "peace" through fear, power, and control while Jesus brings about peace through love, humility, and selflessness.
Luke 2:1-12
Contrary to popular belief, joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness is an emotion while joy is a state of being. Even if circumstances are bleak, as 2020 certainly has been for many people, we can still live in a state of joy. In fact, a life of happiness without joy is a life of emptiness. Today we look at the example of Mary and the joy she possessed despite numerous struggles.
Luke 1:46-55
If there's anything 2020 has taught us, it's that we need loving relationships, human connection, and authentic community now more than ever. Love was not a value was highly esteemed in the ancient world. When Jesus was born, He brought light and love into a world full of hate and darkness. While times may have changed, light and love are still heavily lacking. We all are in desperate need of Jesus' love.
John 3:16-21
Advent is about waiting for the arrival of Jesus to a dark and weary world. "Waiting" has taken on an entirely new meaning in 2020. Most people fall into three camps with regard to waiting in 2020: struggling, surviving, or thriving. While waiting is a normal part of life, God implores His people to wait with hope. Waiting with hope is not a passive form of waiting because hope is the prerequisite to peace, hope sustains God's people through suffering, and hope does not disappoint.
Romans 5:1-5
The 21st century Church needs a New Reformation, one that moves away from Whitewashed theology and more towards a colorful faith that is led by BIPOC, women of faith, and the marginalized. "God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right."
Acts 10
Do you ever wonder, "I don't belong here"? Most of us have a nagging sense that we don't ultimately belong here on earth. Human beings are meant to find our permanent home somewhere else. Philippians 3 affirms that we are citizens of heaven before being citizens of any earthly nation. What does it mean to be a citizen of heaven? While we may wish to depart this earth and be fully united with God in spirit, we must remain as residents for the time being. But why? In light of this post Elections Week, we need a sober reminder of where our loyalty first lies... in heaven or on earth.
Philippians 3:15-21
How should people of faith engage in politics? While some may completely disengage and others might obsess over politics, finding the right balance of political engagement can be tricky. The goal has been and always will be loving God and loving our neighbors. Politics matter because people matter, and politics influence the policies that have an effect on people. Rev. Eugene Cho of "Bread for the World" and "One Day's Wages" gives a message at Perch.Church on the taboo topic of "Faith & Politics" that is powerful, provocative, and prophetic.
Matthew 5:1-10
Exodus 5:1-5, 6:1-2
With all of the catastrophes happening in 2020, it feels like the apocalypse. However, all of the events that have occurred in 2020 are more like the Ten Plagues in the Book of Egypt. And despite what some good-natured Christian Americans may think, America is not God's chosen nation. In actuality, America is more like Egypt and the Great Plagues of 2020 are bringing upon a season of reckoning for this nation.
Mark 5:21-34
How has 2020 impacted your overall health? Your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. 2020 has proven to be a most difficult year for everyone. Several years from now, we may look back at this year and realize how lonely, anxious, or even depressed we were as a result of everything that’s happened so far. But the good news is, this is precisely why Jesus came into the world. Jesus came to heal you completely, not just cure one part of you. As my friend and colleague Bethany McKinney Fox once said, “Healing is not the same as curing.”
Genesis 1:1-27, Exodus 35:35, Ephesians 2:10
All human beings are created in God’s likeness. If God is the Great Creator, then every human is a creator. When we neglect our creativity, we suppress or ignore a deep part of our spirituality.
How are you taking care of yourself these days? Like REALLY taking care of yourself. Getting drunk, playing video games, and watching entertainment might be fun, but it’s not self-care. How are you taking care of your emotional and spiritual health? Lean in and listen as Al dialogues with his psychologist & therapist Dr. Carrie Ann Horn about the importance of loving yourself.
Psalm 42
Lament is a good and necessary emotion of love. Lamenting well is a lost spiritual practice in Western society, but why? There are some insidious ways we've been convinced by our culture that lamenting is a bad thing. But Jesus Christ knew how to lament well because He knew that lament was good for the soul. If we don't lament in healthy ways, it will come out in unhealthy ways like isolation, irritability, or violence. We are living in painful times right now and we need to lament well in order to get through difficulties better than before.
Matthew 14:22-33
Do you feel trapped on a little boat in the middle of the sea storm? This season of Covid, racial injustice, and economic collapse has made many people fearful for what's the come. But knowing that God is with us gives us a hope and assurance of the future despite the violent storm that surrounds us.
Micah 6:1-8
What does it mean to live justly? That's a harder question than you might think. Everyone wants justice, but the way people understand and define justice looks different. What's "just" for a White Supremest will look different from what's "just" for a BIPOC. But what does God have to say about justice? Because God cares deeply about justice, mercy, and humility, as we see in the ancient Book of Micah. And what God shared with the Israelites thousands of years ago is still very relevant for the American in June of 2020.
Proclaiming “Black Lives Matter” is good, but it’s not enough. Donating money to a cause is better, but it’s not justice fully realized. By looking at the example of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, we get a great example of what a 'neighbor of justice' looks like.
Various Passages
How has your relationship with your earthly dad impacted your view of God? For me, my dad was a disciplinarian, distant, and disinterested in my life unless I got in trouble, so that's how I viewed God. So the idea of God the Father was always difficult for me to embrace. That was until I realized that God was Father to the fatherless, God the Father is relational, and God the Father is present. In these chaotic and tumultuous times in our nation, God is the Father that this world so desperately needs.
John 15:1-11
Full video version of Perch.Church Easter Sunday Gathering can be found on our Facebook Page here.