Christ Community Chapel: Recent Episodes
Christ Community Chapel
Christ Community Chapel is a church in Hudson, OH, that invites people to reimagine life because of Jesus. Learn more about us at ccchapel.com.
In looking at Matthew 28:18-20, Pastor Joe Coffey reminds us of Jesus' command to tell everyone, everywhere, about the good news of Jesus Christ.
In this last message of our Eternal Hope series, Pastor Zach reminds us of God’s perfect plan for the future.
Sometimes life can be confusing and dark, but this message reminds us to fix our eyes on eternity. Because of Jesus, it won't always be this way.
Looking at Revelation 21:5-8, this message shows that we can face or present hardships because of our future hope in Jesus. One day, all evil will come to an end.
This is the first message of our new Eternal Hope series. In this message, Pastor Zach reminds us that our present hardships are only temporary because of our future eternal relationship with God as our King.
In this final message of the series, Pastor Joe preaches Psalm 51. This Psalm comforts us with the good news that confessing our sins does not lead to alienation from God but to an experience of forgiveness.
In this message, Pastor Zach Weihrauch speaks about Psalm 136. This psalm reminds us of God's faithful love.
In this message, Pastor Zach preaches Psalm 121. This Psalm reminds us of our hope-filled dependence on God alone to be our help in our time of need.
In this message, Pastor Joe Coffey preaches about Psalm 102. This psalm reassures us of how God sees and responds to us in our place of struggle.
In this message, Pastor Joe Coffey preaches Psalm 96. This Psalm reminds us of God's true, unchanging, praise-deserving greatness.
In this message, Founding Pastor Jim Colledge is preaching Psalm 67. This Psalm aligns our hearts with God’s mission for and to all nations of this world.
In this message, Pastor Joe Coffey takes us through Psalm 23. This psalm reminds us of how the leading of Jesus is where we are protected the best and cared for the most.
In this message, Pastor Zach Weihrauch takes us through Psalm 13. This Psalm invites us to share our deepest frustrations and hardest pains with God and express a renewed confidence in his character and ways during our despair.
In this last message of our series James, Pastor Joe reminds us to pray for one another, especially those struggling and wandering in their sin.
In looking at James 5:7-12, Pastor Joe reminds us that in the face of (unjust) suffering, we are called to patiently wait on and trust in the Lord and be known for a steadfast life.
In an age of self-indulgence, Pastor Zach reminds us that we are called to take notice of the dangers of being rich and avoid the temptation to reduce life to a money-making competition.
Pastor Joe Coffey continues our James message series by discussing the symptoms, the disease, and the cure found in James 4:1-17.
In looking at James 3:13-18, Pastor Joe Coffey reminds us that in an age of lots of information, we are called to be truly wise people.
In this stand-alone message, Pastor Ken Prabucki reminds us that we are no longer slaves but sons and daughters in Christ.
In this message, Pastor Joe Coffey walks us through the importance of taming our tongues and uplifting each other with our speech.
Pastor Zach Weihrauch continues our message series in James and draws our attention to one misunderstanding, two examples, and three places to go from James 2:14–26.
In looking at James 2:1-13, Pastor Joe Coffey reminds us that we are called to a life of loving each other equally without making distinctions and showing partiality, especially to the poor.
In looking at James 1:19-17, Pastor Zach Weihrauch reminds us to avoid false religion and instead understand and strive for true religion found in Jesus.
In looking at James 1:1-18, Pastor Joe Coffey reminds us that in the midst of our trials and suffering, we are called to steadfast joy, trusting in God.
In looking at Revelation 5, Pastor Zach Weihrauch reminds us that the mission Jesus gave the church will be successful. There will be a representative from every tongue, tribe, and nation included among God’s people in the new heavens and the new earth.
In looking at Mark 10:13-16, Pastor Jimmy Kozy invites us to remember how much Jesus cares about the next generation.
In looking at Romans 8:26-27, this final message of the series shows us that the Holy Spirit prays and intercedes for us, especially when we don’t know how to pray for ourselves.
In looking at Romans 8:18-25, this message emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit, leading us to groan at what is broken, presently experience what is new, and powerfully trust in what is to come.
In looking at Romans 8:14-17, this message pinpoints the work of the Spirit through God's love and affirmation of our status with him. This leads us to the full assurance of our adoption as children by our perfectly loving God the Father.
This message centralizes the work of the Holy Spirit in the resurrection of Jesus and highlights that the same power is at work in us, leading us to put things of the flesh to death and live the life of victory and righteousness.
In looking at Deuteronomy 18:15-22 and Acts 3:17-26, we see that the life and work of Moses point us to a greater prophet in Jesus.
In looking at Numbers 20:1-13 and Hebrews 12:1-2, we see that as great as Moses was, he ultimately did not enter the promised land. This shows the need for a greater leader in Jesus.
In looking at Exodus 34:27-35 and Hebrews 1:1-3, we see Moses bringing the word from God to his people, pointing to Jesus bringing the final word from God to his people.
In looking at Exodus 16:1-36 and John 6:29-35, we see that God provided for his people through Moses, pointing to God who would provide for his people through Jesus.
In looking at Exodus 14:1-31 and Colossians 2:9-15, we see that God used Moses to triumph over his enemies and create a way from death to life. This points to Jesus and his victory over death, which gave us life.
As we look at Exodus 12:1-13; 21-28 and Luke 22:7-20, we see how Moses leads his people to see the need for substitution in God's atonement for our sins. This points to Jesus as the greater Passover Lamb.
In looking at Exodus 7:1-7 and Matthew 8:23-27, we see that Moses showed God’s power over Pharoah in the plagues, pointing to Jesus showing God’s power in his miracles.
In looking at Exodus 2:23–3:12 and Luke 4:16–21, we learn of Moses’ mission-receiving encounter with God. He is to rescue God’s people, pointing to the call and mission of Jesus.
In looking at Exodus 2:11–15 and Hebrews 4:14–15, we see how God’s rescue of his people includes Moses’ own rescue, pointing to an even greater rescuer in Jesus, who never fell.
In looking at Exodus 2:1-10 and Luke 2:22-33, Moses shows how God’s rescue of his people starts with the birth of an unlikely baby, pointing to the birth of another rescuer, Jesus.
In looking at Jonah 4: 1-11, this message demonstrates the persevering heart of God to align our hearts with his heart. It leads us to this question: Do we share God’s concern for those far from him?
In looking at Jonah 3:1-10, this message reveals the heart and ability of God to use the going and preaching of Jonah to save those far from him.
In continuation of our Jonah series, Pastor Joe Coffey looks at Jonah 1:4 – 3:3. This message highlights Jonah’s desperate need for God and his saving grace.
In looking at Jonah 1:1-3; 4:1-2, this message magnifies the constant graciousness of God’s heart to send Jonah to Ninevah, and the forgetfulness of Jonah’s heart, especially of God’s grace to him and Israel, that leads him to run from Ninevah.
In this final message from our series, “Who is Jesus?”, Pastor Zach Weihrauch looks at John 1:18. In this scripture, we’re reminded that no one else has seen God except for Jesus; therefore, we can trust what he says.
In this Easter service, Pastor Joe Coffey is continuing our message series, “Who is Jesus?” In looking at John 1:17, we see that the only way to experience grace and know the truth is through Jesus.
In looking at John 1:16, Pastor Joe Coffey reminds us that without fail and without end, Jesus offers us grace upon grace.
In this message, Pastor Zach speaks to us from John 1:14. In these verses, we see that without losing his divinity, Jesus took on complete humanity to live among the people, giving us the chance to be in relationship with him.
In this message, Pastor Joe Coffey looks at John 1:12-13 and leaves us with three biblical truths. Those who receive and believe in Jesus earn the right to become children of God.
In this stand-alone message, Pastor Zach Weihrauch discusses how church planting is the Great Commission. In looking at Matthew 28:16-20, we learn about God’s heart behind his command for us to make disciples.
In looking at John 1:9-11, Pastor Joe Coffey reminds us that following Jesus requires giving up our lives as we know them and starting over. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
Though people tried to elevate John the Baptist as a hero, he knew Jesus was the only hero to be praised. In looking at John 1:6-8, 15, Pastor Zach Weihrauch reminds us of the importance of keeping Jesus at the highest place in our lives.
In this part of the “Who is Jesus?” message series, Pastor Zach Weihrauch discusses how God created us for a relationship with him. Looking at John 1: 4-6, we get a glimpse into the hope for those in relationship with Christ Jesus.
As we continue to answer the critical question of who Jesus is, Pastor Joe Coffey invites us to look at John 1: 2-3. These verses tell us three things: something about Jesus, something about everything, and something about us.
This message kicks off our next message series, "Who is Jesus?". By looking at John 1:1, we get a glimpse into the identity of Jesus Christ. In this message, Pastor Joe Coffey reminds us that life has no purpose or fulfillment without Jesus.
In this stand-alone message, Pastor Jim Colledge discusses what it means to be the Church. As we look at Acts 2:42-47, we learn that saved people who share experiences, convictions, and identity make up a community of believers.
In the final week of our January vision series, Pastor Joe Coffey discusses the call to partner with Jesus to seek and save the lost. By looking at Philippians 1:27-30, as followers of Jesus, we are reminded that others will observe how we live, that we're on a mission from God to make disciples, and that we should not let fear stop us from that mission.
In the third week of our January vision series, Pastor Zach Weihrauch talks about the importance of living in a community. By looking at Colossians 3:12-17, we can see that biblical community is the experience of God through relationships with other people.
In the second week of our January vision series, Pastor Joe Coffey speaks about the brokenness in the church and how to heal it. Join us as we look at Philippians 2 to see where our brokenness comes from, what our wholeness looks like, and how we become whole.
Pastor Joe Coffey kicks off our January vision series by addressing the what, the why, and the how behind our goals at CCC. Our hope this year, as always, is that we can help you know Jesus more, love Jesus more, and serve Jesus more.
Life has its ups and downs, and the Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. Listen in as Pastor Mike Holwerda speaks about the importance of caring for each other to fulfill what Jesus has called us to do and see we are better together.
Pastor Jim Colledge wraps up our advent series "Hope Surprising" with the story of Bathsheeba out of 2 Samuel. Through her story, we can learn about the kings we have, the kings we want, and the king we need.
Pastor Zach continues our advent message series by looking at another woman from Jesus' genealogy, Ruth. Out of her surprising story in Ruth 4:13-17, we can find something necessary, something hidden, and something wonderful.
Pastor Joe continues our advent series in Joshua 6 with the story of Rahab. By unpacking her surprising story, we can see how deliverance is always undeserved, unexpected, and dependent on trust.
Pastor Zach Weihrauch kicks off the first week of our Advent message series "Hope Surprising." Throughout December, we will take a look at the stories of four surprising women in the genealogy of Jesus. This week, we look at the difficult story of Tamar in Genesis 38 and how it reminds us of the advent of our world, the advent of our story, and the advent of our future.
Warning: The passage we are looking at this week includes mature themes and descriptions of assault.
This week Pastor Joe Coffey gives the last message in our series on the book of Romans called "10 Sentences to Change Your Life." We focus on Romans 12:2 where Paul gives us something not to do that's easy to do, something to do that's hard to do, and the way to do it.
Pastor Joe Coffey continues our message series in the book of Romans by focusing on Romans 10:14 and reminding us of a few essential truths about the gospel. Everyone starts in the same place, everyone needs to hear the same message, and everyone needs someone to tell them.
Join us as Pastor Zach Weihrauch continues our message series in Romans by focusing on Romans 10:9 and covering the questions why become a Christian, what does it mean to become a Christian, and how do you know if you are ready to become a Christian?
We all desire a just and balanced world. But everyone knows there are times when apologies need to be made, forgiveness needs to be granted, and order and goodness need to be restored.
But forgiveness always costs something. And Paul shows us that God paid that price for us by giving up his one and only Son.
Today as we delve into Romans 8:32, Pastor Joe will encourage us to look for the logic, the promise, and the pattern within the passage. When we look at it logically as Paul does, it challenges us to think about the promises God makes to us and the pattern he sets to remind us of truth and fill us with hope.
This week, whenever we struggle, we can reflect on the question posed in Romans 8:32 and let our hearts be open to the answer we find as this truth settles deeper into our hearts.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We are in week six of our “10 Sentences to Change your Life” Series. Today, Pastor Zach takes us through Romans 6:23 and focuses our eyes on three aspects of truth: the truth about death, the truth about us, and the truth about God.
As Christians, we know that death was never the original plan for us. And we reflect on the truth of who we are (sinners) and who God is (Savior), we can better understand God’s love and fight the lies that wage war in our minds. As we look to Jesus ’life, death, and resurrection, we can see what a life of trust in God truly looks like.
The wage of our sins is death, but through Jesus, our debt is repaid, and we are given the gift of grace in its place.
Our challenge this week is to practice thankfulness and gratitude. As Pastor Zach says, faithfulness moves forward by looking backward. What can you be thankful for today? How can reflecting on the truth about death, us, and who God is, spur you on to more profound gratitude for grace?
We have officially reached the halfway point of our time in Romans. This week, we are taking a break from our “10 Sentences To Change Your Life” series for a standalone message on Genesis 15 where we see a significant encounter between God and Abram.
Pastor Joe will help us fix our gaze on three main points: the doubts, the covenant, and the anchor.
As we see in Genesis 15, even faithful believers like Abraham experienced doubt. But when we come face to face with doubt, and our faith starts to feel unsteady, we can remember the covenant God made with Abraham and the better covenant God made through Christ that would redeem us all. Our part has been taken care of. We never need to fear. Our doubts can remind us to look to Jesus, who signed our contract for us and paid our ransom, who took away the penalty of sin and gave us his gift of grace in its place.
Jesus serves as the anchor our souls desperately need. God showed us that he would do his part, and he would also do our part through Jesus. There is no other anchor we can put our hope in, no other anchor that stays consistent with time and never changes.
If you find yourself experiencing doubt today, look to Jesus and see the hope of the steadfast anchor we all desperately need for our souls.
How do you know if someone loves you? Do they show you through their actions? Do they tell you in the words they say? Do they love you even when you’re at your worst?
This week, Pastor Joe takes us through Romans 5:8 and shows us what God does for us, when he does it, and how he proves it.
God shows his love to us and extends that love even when we are at our most unloveable. While we were still sinners, he died for us. And he proves it to us through the life, death, and resurrection of his son.
This week’s challenge is to worship. Take time to ask God the question that is on every human heart: “Do you love me?” and allow him to meet you there with his answer: an undeniable yes.
As we dig into Romans 4:5 today, Pastor Zach shows us a beautiful truth: “God is in the habit of welcoming and embracing the ungodly.”
So how can the ungodly be justified? Every religion will have a different answer, and they all center on solutions that involve our own energy and work. But Christianity is the only one who states that Jesus, not our efforts, is the true answer.
The world will try and shout out directions for the path to justification, but the Word shows us that Jesus is the true way to justification. We don’t have to strive for it or work for it. It is freely offered to us through faith and trust in Jesus.
When we trust in the one who justifies, our faith is credited as righteousness. We can rest in knowing that the work is already done, and we have nothing to prove.
Pastor Joe is back for Week 3 of our message series, “10 Sentences To Change Your Life.” Today, we focus on the words of Romans 3:23:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
In a world where we are constantly seeking to justify ourselves and separate into categories of“ us” versus “them,” Paul shows us that we all belong in the same group: sinners.
Jesus came and saw the mess we made and offered to clean it up. Through life-changing grace, we can live both in humility and security. We can love and forgive deeply because we are deeply loved and forgiven.
The challenge this week is a big one: to recognize and take ownership of our sin.
This week, confess your shortcomings to God and a trusted friend. If there is something you have been hiding in your heart, now is the time to confess.
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But all have been offered a sinless Savior who exceeds every expectation in perfect glory.
"God will repay each person according to what they have done.”
When you read this verse, what do you feel? Does it make you think back over your mistakes in an effort to evaluate yourself and your holiness ranking? Does it make you feel defeated and fearful? Or do you feel pretty confident in how your works would measure up?
As Pastor Zach tells us, the words of Romans 2:6 do not sound like good news. But as he leads us through this passage, he is going to help us see who we really are, what that really means, and what we really need.
Today to start our new message series, 10 Sentences To Change Your Life, Pastor Zach takes us through Romans 1:16.
As a whole, our time as Christians may feel more marked by missed opportunities to talk about Jesus rather than moments we seized the opportunities before us.
But, in the Scripture today, Pastor Zach shows us that Paul gives us a reason to be honest, a reason to be encouraged, and a reason to be courageous.
Sharing our faith can feel uncomfortable. We may be afraid of offending someone, or we may think that conversations about religion are too personal.
The truth is, it is personal, but that's part of what makes it so unique. Paul encourages us by reminding us that the gospel is good news. It's about what Jesus has done and how it changes people and their relationship with God. And it's for everyone.
It's not just a story. It is our story.
So, let have the courage to share our story, our testimony, with others. Face to face. Heart to heart. And let's give the Holy Spirit room to do what only he can do through us.
What comes to mind when you hear the word “growth” as it concerns the Christian life?
Maybe you think of knowledge and how much someone knows about God, the Bible or theology. Maybe you think of it more in terms of what a person does and how their behavior has been changed during their Christian walk.
But as Pastor Zach shows us in 1 Peter 2, neither of these descriptions are at the foundation of Christian growth. While we often think of growth as knowing and doing, Peter encourages us to look at it as being.
Our identity and what we believe about ourselves shape us more than any other influence in our lives. In a world that is constantly shouting about who we should be, the Christian’s goal is to grab hold of the voice of God and who he says we should be.
As we delve into the concept of Christian growth, Pastor Zach fixes our thoughts on three points to consider: what is Christian growth, why does it matter, and how does it happen?
“If we can trust that Jesus saw us as worth dying for, we can trust he is worth living for.”
These beautiful words were brought to us by Pastor Ken Prabucki as he discussed Acts 2:42-47 and the concept of community.
In his three points, we learned about the kind of community we want, the kind of community we get, and the kind of community we can have.
Our hearts desperately want to be welcomed as we are and part of something bigger. The communities we find ourselves in often don’t allow for our authenticity or our messes.
But Jesus isn’t afraid of our mess. And in Jesus, we can become more ourselves than we could ever imagine.
Through the finished work of Christ on the cross and the ongoing work of the Spirit within us, we can be a part of true, lasting community. Just like the early church, we can walk alongside one another in the mess and experience the unity Christ calls us to partake in together.
Pastor Mike shows us how to reflect on the requests Jesus teaches us to make in the Lords Prayer: daily bread, daily forgiveness, and daily help against temptation. And in these requests, we can stop and marvel at the Truths we find: God is faithful to sustain us every single day, he teaches us the power of giving and receiving forgiveness, and he is with us in our daily battles against temptation.
In this prayer journey, Christ greets us with his compassion and kindness. He walks with us as Teacher and shows us the way as Savior.
The Lords presence changes everything about our lives. And, the Lord’s Prayer changes everything about our prayer lives.
In this message, Pastor Zach uses Matthew 6:10 to help us reflect on what it truly means to pray “your kingdom come, your will be done.”
It is easy to acknowledge the need for a regime change in the world, but we are slower to admit the need for a new King in our hearts and minds.
In prayer, we can go to God with our despair and our discouragement over the broken kingdom of the earth. But we also must acknowledge the state of our own hearts and our desperate need to surrender to our Savior.
If left to our own devices, our kingdoms will always lead to death.
But, Jesus’ kingdom begins with death and births an eternal life. Through Jesus, we see a prayerful and purposeful life of surrender to God.
Surrender is vital to the Christian life. It is essential to pray that we have the power to bring a heavenly kingdom to our hurting earth.
Your kingdom come, God. Your will be done.
On earth, as it is in heaven.
Too often, we think of prayer as a discipline or a duty, but it is so much more than that. Jesus came so that we would know, without a doubt, that our God is willing and able to help us and that his glory and our good are linked.
As Pastor Zach so beautifully puts it, “As a Christian, you never look at the circumstances of your life to know if God is willing and able to help you. You always look to the fixed point of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Don’t look to circumstances. Look to Jesus.”
And as we continue to look to Jesus, we will be emboldened to bring our prayers, big and small, to the feet of a heavenly Father who loves us and wants to hear from us.
We are starting a 97-day prayer journey as a church beginning August 30th and going to the beginning of Advent. It will be a corporate meditation on the Lord’s Prayer. The prayer journey books are available for sale in the Atrium for $5 each. Please, join us as we watch the Lord work mightily in our midst through prayer.
Pastor Jim Colledge walks us through Matthew 6:5-8 and the practical tips that Jesus gives us regarding prayer.
Through Pastor Jim’s message, we learn a little more about the wrong way to pray, the right way to pray, and how Jesus helps us make the transition.
The wrong way to pray involves performing and pretending. The right way to pray is about authentically pursuing God. And, through Jesus, we can learn how the right kind of prayers help us approach our heavenly Father with confidence and security.
Our Father in heaven wants us to come to him, and Jesus is the Great Shepherd who leads us there.
God doesn’t expect perfect prayers. He doesn’t want performances or pretending. He wants us to be present with him, pursue him, and seek him with our authentic selves daily.
This week, Pastor Zach finishes our One Story One Hero message series by teaching about Jonah and the fish.
This week, Pastor Zach shared about the story of Daniel in the lion's den. He answered three questions: What is faith? Why does faith matter? How does faith grow? Tune in as we continue in our message series, One Story One Hero!
In this message, Pastor Zach Weihrauch teaches on the story of Naaman and addresses the questions: Why do we look for God? Why can't we find him? How do we know he wants to be found?
Tune in as Pastor Zach shares about the classic Bible story, David and Goliath. In this message, we learn about the importance of remembering you're not the only character in your story.
In this message, Pastor Jim Colledge teaches from Joshua 6 on the battles we face and how God fights for us.
Tune in as Pastor Zach shares from Genesis about Joseph and his brothers, pointing to Jesus as the greater brother who uses his power to forgive those who have mistreated him.
In this message, Pastor Joe preaches from Genesis 22:1-19 and shares on the call of God, the problem of the ask, and the proof of love.
In this message, Pastor Joe teaches from Genesis 6-9 and asks three questions: Why the flood? Why the ark? Why the rainbow?
Tune in as Pastor Zach shares from Genesis 3:1-24 on how from the beginning, God has promised to defeat Satan, overcome sin, and save humanity through Jesus.
In this message, Pastor Zach shares how without any judgment, Jesus affirms in a refreshing way that simple faith saves, no matter how strong or weak it is.
Tune in as Pastor Joe shares how in Jesus' interaction with the scribe, he shows the substance of what it means to follow him regardless of society's acceptance, no matter how offensive it may be.
In this message, Pastor Joe teaches how in Jesus' interaction with the sinful woman, he announces and affirms his central good news: There is radical forgiveness for everyone and anything.
Tune in as Pastor Joe shares how Jesus interacts with Matthew and models the need to be with non-Christians on their turf, wherever that takes him.
Tune in as Pastor Zach shares how in his ascension and now at the right hand of the Father, Jesus reigns and continues his mission to the ends of the earth, primarily through the church.
In Jesus' appearance with his disciples, he confirms his physical and bodily resurrection and commissions his disciples to reimagine their lives around sharing the gospel's good news.
Pastor Zach shares how on the road to Emmaus, Jesus situates and elevates himself as the central and pivotal figure in the redemptive story of God.
As we celebrate Easter, Pastor Joe shares how in the resurrection, Jesus separates himself from everyone and everything, forcing us to contemplate all he has said and did seriously.
Pastor Joe teaches how in Jesus' ugly crucifixion, the full beauty and goodness of Jesus are on display by saving the thief, trusting in God, and tearing the temple curtain, opening up the very presence of God to us.
Tune in as Pastor Zach shares about the security we can find in Jesus when we know who we are.
Pastor Joe shares from Luke 22 on how at his trial, Jesus carries himself with remarkable confidence and calm before the powers at be, having full assurance in the plan of the Father.
Tune in as Pastor Zach shares how Jesus redeems our biggest mistakes and gives us hope.
Come and see as Pastor Joe teaches from Luke 22 on how in Jesus' betrayal and arrest, he models incredible love for his enemies, foreshadowing his display of love on the cross.
This week, Pastor Joe shares how, in the prayer from Luke 23:39-46, Jesus models unshakeable faith and obedience to the Father amid impending, unthinkable suffering and pain.
Tune in as Pastor Zach shares about the Passover meal from Luke 22:7–23. In this message, we learn how with full knowledge of the past, present, and future, Jesus intentionally sets intentions to the cross, establishing the new blood-secured covenant with us.
What does it look like when an entire church reimagines life because of Jesus? Tune in as Pastor Zach shares how the church in Thessalonica transformed their worship from idols and towards the living and true God. In this message, we see evidence of a reimagined life, such as finding joy in affliction, showing news-worthy love, and exemplifying a hope that is worth following.
As we continue our series, Pastor Joe teaches from Luke 19:1-10 on how the Reimagine Story is the natural response to Jesus, whether they are Christians or not. He also shares how this tool is a great way to invite people to reimagine life because of Jesus.
Join us as Pastor Joe reads from Matthew 28:16-20 and highlights the overarching goals of Reimagine, unpacks how they are a much needed change as we continue to share the gospel locally, and envisions the difference they could have here, there, and everywhere.
Tune in as Pastor Joe shares from Acts 1:8 on the foundational, Jesus-given mission of the church to reach the world with the gospel. As we kick off our new series, Reimagine Life Because of Jesus, we see how the new vision for CCC connects to the rhythm of the early church and is the natural expression of our church's growth.
2020 was a difficult year for most of us. Tune in as Pastor Joe discusses why God is closer than we might think, and that God does not dismiss our pain, but uses it. Let's dream big in 2021!
Join us as Pastor Zach shares how making the changes God wants us to make in our lives is a task that requires endurance, and how those changes are made by trusting God.
Tune in as we hear Pastor Joe share the true hope and peace that the birth of Jesus brought to the earth.
Throughout life, we all have good days and bad days. In the midst of that reality, it's easy to wonder: What is the purpose of all this? What is the end goal?
Tune in as Pastor Zach shares how God provides the hope and meaning we desperately need. And while following him doesn't mean you have the answers to all your questions, it does mean you can live your days – both good and bad – with an end goal in mind.
In the first week of our Advent series, we are digging in to the idea of hope. We know that everyone needs hope because 2020 alone has shown us that things aren't as they should be. But where should we place our hope?
Tune in as Pastor Joe shares how we know we can place our hope in Jesus.
This weekend, Pastor Todd Iannetta shared from Acts 1:8 on how God’s story for the church did not end in the book of Acts. Rather, the gift of the Holy Spirit empowers us to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth and continue to grow his church. Tune in to hear how God uses the pattern of the church, the power of the church, and the people of the church to transform lives and make his name known!
The Bible is the story of God making and keeping some wonderful, life-changing promises. Join us as Pastor Zach teaches from Acts 13, sharing who those promises are for and how that should change the way we live.
Join us as we read from the New Testament and learn how real transformation involves three parts: a heart changed by the gospel, a connection to the local church, and a missional lifestyle.
As we get ready to launch Reimagine, the new vision for CCC might seem like everything feels new and different. But truthfully, Reimagine is just a way for CCC to take seriously and localize the mission of Jesus.
In this message, Zach shares from Acts 17:16-34 how Paul is an excellent example of being a witness to his community. Tune in as we learn how to be an effective witness; we must have broken hearts, informed minds, a courageous spirit, and clear memories.
Christianity has always been about a total transformation. Your trust goes from one thing to Jesus, and you're completely changed.
Join us as we learn how Saul became Paul by coming into contact with the real God, knowing the living Jesus, and experiencing a life-changing relationship.
As we go through the book of Acts, we hope that CCC can start to look more and more like the early church. We anticipate the same kind of excitement about the Gospel and the multiplication of Christians. But how do we get there? Tune in as Pastor Joe shares the three main characteristics of the first church and how they shape CCC's vision.
We desire to see a movement of God in Northeast Ohio, and as we study Acts, we see that starts with personal evangelism. We know we will never be successful in our mission of making disciples if we don't talk about Jesus with other people. But where do we start?
Tune in as Pastor Zach shares from Acts 2 on why every person is called to have gospel conversations that are simple, biblical, relevant, and challenging.
This week, Pastor Zach shared how at the center of every movement is a person who truly believes. If we want to see a movement of God, it begins with you living out your faith in a way that brings others in.
Tune in as he shares how movements begin, die, and last.
Almost 2,000 years ago, a small group of peasants and slaves with no power or influence started a movement that swept through the Roman Empire. This movement brought millions of people into a hope they’d never known as they came to believe that Jesus was the incarnate son of God who not only suffered for them, but rose from the grave and still worked in the world. It all happened because Jesus commanded his apostles to be witnesses to what they had seen, telling the Good News of salvation to everyone, everywhere. In the book of Acts, we learn just how seriously the apostles took that mission and what can happen when people hear, believe, and respond to the gospel. The question we are left with is, “How can we make a similar impact today?”
Today, we finish our three-week sermon series introducing CCC's new vision for accomplishing the mission Jesus gave us: To make disciples of every nation. In past weeks, we have focused on spreading the gospel locally. This week, Pastor Joe explains how we can make an impact on an international level, striving to donate $30 million to global missions over the next 30 years. Hear how our giving has made an impact in the past and what we'll seek to achieve for God in the decades to come.
This week, we continue diving into CCC’s recently unveiled 30-year vision for bringing the good news of Christ to the world around us. Pastor Joe explains Part 2 of the vision—our goal to plant 60 gospel-teaching churches on Northeast Ohio. Today, we celebrate the first two of those church plants, Story Church in Mayfield Heights and Wingfoot Church in Goodyear Heights, already holding their first services! Find out how our Orchard NEO team helped these churches get started, and how they are preparing to launch the next 58 church plants in our region.
CCC has existed for 39 years as a place for people to come to know Jesus, grow in their personal relationships with him, and find their place serving him. While we’ve grown significantly since we first opened our doors, our dedication to that core mission has never changed. Over time, we have rallied around annual themes that challenge us to grow spiritually and better love those around us. We have started campuses and seen them become independent. We have begun church planting through Orchard NEO. Now, we have been prayerfully considering the right long-term vision for our church, and we’re ready to unveil that vision to guide us for the next 30 years.
This week, hear Pastor Joe explain not only what’s next for the church, but how it connects to what’s next for you, too.
In 1 John 2:15-17, we are warned against loving the world and the things in it, as the "world and its desires pass away." But what does that actually mean? Aren't we supposed to care for the world we live in and the people who inhabit it? Are we supposed to seclude ourselves from the world to avoid loving what's around us more than God? It's a confusing verse on the surface, but as Pastor Joe explains, the real message is about keeping our focus on serving God's kingdom rather than serving ourselves or desiring what's around us. Tune in this week to hear our latest reminder of how deeply God loves us, and how that love can be truly life-changing.
We are all children of God, as 1 John 3:1-3 tells us, for all who have hope in Jesus have his purity transferred onto themselves, receiving God's blessings. It's great news, as it means we receive a love we could never earn purely by the grace of God and the actions of Jesus. So the question is: Are you living as a child of God? Are you finding yourself drawn towards following God and flourishing as the person he made you to be, or are you trying to earn his love or acting like you deserve his blessings? This week, Pastor Joe explains what it means to not only recognize a love that is freely given, but respond as it calls and transforms us.
God looked at us, each and every one of us, at our worst and even then thought we were so lovable and so worth it that he gave his own Son for us. We are loved by a father who has seen us in our lowest moments, who has known the depth of every sin and the weaknesses of our hearts, and still says we are worth dying for. This weekend, Pastor Zach reminded us to grab hold of the love of Christ and lean further into trusting him. He challenged us in that if the love of God is not radiating from us, we may be missing it altogether. Wherever you find yourself, know that you are personally known and fully loved by the God of the universe, and that he invites you to let his love change you and your circumstances today.
Why does it sometimes appear that people have it together? Why do we try so hard to do things on our own? It’s because we’re deceived. Deep down, all of us fail to see the depth of our sinfulness and desperation for Jesus—and we don’t run to him to be our Savior as a result. This weekend, Pastor Joe reminded us that we desperately need Jesus—every moment of our lives. We are not as good as we think we are. But there’s good news. When we realize how desperately we need a Savior—and that Jesus bought our forgiveness on the cross—we can fully abandon the idea that we can do it alone, and run to Jesus, our advocate, and receive grace and forgiveness for our sins.
We often think that a relationship with Jesus equates to just knowing about him, but when we come to know Jesus—to really know him—we experience fullness of joy and real relationship with God. Everything changes when we come face to face with our good Father. And thankfully, we can know God fully and personally because of Jesus Christ.
This weekend, we kicked off our Letter of Love message series in 1 John 1: 1–4.
This weekend, we wrapped up our All In message series with All In For Jesus. Pastor Joe gave us some good news, some bad news, and some big news from Matthew 5. The things of this world—relationships, friendships, lives—all pull apart from each other and God when they are left alone. But we are reminded of the good news: Jesus brought the salt that the world so desperately needs to preserve those relationships and the light to bring truth and love. We do not have a God who is a cosmic killjoy, but a God who loves us, pursues us, waits for us, and gives us Jesus.
This weekend, Pastor Joe taught us about being all in with each other and reminded us of our critical need not only for God, but also for each other—we have a deep need for belonging and in that need, God gave us a way to recognize where we belong.
In this week's message, ALL IN: With Jesus, we read Mark 4:35-41 as we learn something unique about storms, something amazing about Jesus, and what it looks like to traverse storms with Jesus.
Jesus Christ sees you, knows the real you, and has opened his arms wide on the cross to receive you and love you. This weekend, we finished our series on Famous Stories of Love in John 1 with the story of Jesus calling Nathaniel. We were reminded that we cannot love God or others if we are not first loved by him, but that in Jesus Christ we are fully known and fully loved—our true fullness and acceptance comes from no other place than him. If there was ever a time to talk more, live more, be more about love, now is the time.
Sometimes in the middle of a story, it’s easy to doubt that God loves us. We often think that God’s love should fit into our timing and plans, but God knows exactly what we need, and our hard seasons are just the middle of the story. This weekend, Pastor Joe continued our message series with the story of Lazarus in John 11 and reminded us that whatever we go through, if we know Jesus, it’s the middle of the story. Your story ends well because you are part of the greatest story ever.
This weekend, Pastor Zach gave a new perspective on God’s love through the story of the Rich Young Ruler in Mark 10. In our culture, love is often synonymous with affirmation. Yet, we are reminded in Jesus that real love is about someone caring enough to tell us the truth, and to risk whatever it takes to speak honestly. God invites us to see that his love is enough to tell you the truth and to risk what it takes. His love enables you to trust him, even when what he says is difficult to hear. His love reminds us that nothing is impossible with God.
This weekend, Pastor Zach continued our series on Famous Stories of Love with the story of Jesus Healing a Paralytic in Mark 2. We learned how we often try and define what it means for God to love us, that if he loved us, he would give us what we want. But God's love is so much greater than we can comprehend and he gives us the best gift: forgiveness for our sins. May this message help you reflect on the generous love of God and remind you that he loves us too much to give us too little.
This weekend Pastor Joe continued the story of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15. We learned why we love the stuff God gives us more than we love him, and how that leaves us empty and alone. The good news is we can come back to our senses and into a relationship with God by realizing how good he is, how much we’ve sinned against him, and that we need to stop making excuses for why we ran away. May this message remind you to trust in Jesus to lead you back to the Father to experience the amazing love he’s waiting to unleash on you.
This weekend Pastor Joe took us through the story of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15. We learned why we love the stuff God gives us more than we love him, and how that leaves us empty and alone. The good news is we can come back to our senses and into a relationship with God by realizing how good he is, how much we’ve sinned against him, and that we need to stop making excuses for why we ran away. May this message remind you to trust in Jesus to lead you back to the Father to experience the amazing love he’s waiting to unleash on you.
This weekend Pastor Zach continued our message series with the parables Jesus told about the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. We learned how far someone will go to find what they’ve lost shows just how much they value it. These stories illustrate the depth of Jesus’ love for you: he gave his very life to offer you forgiveness and mercy that would lead you back from a lost life to one reunited with God.
This weekend Pastor Zach used the story of Nicodemus, the Pharisee known for visiting Jesus under cover of night, to show us that God loves difficult people – even those who are hard to teach or don’t want to risk their reputations by associating with him. After his loving encounter with Jesus, Nicodemus went from a man hiding in the shadows to living boldly for Christ, where all could see his affection for his Savior. What would your life look like if you really believed that God loves every version of you – even the most challenging one?
The love stories in the Bible are full of very real and raw portrayals of people. No sugar coating here—we see the good, the bad, and the ugly. This weekend, Pastor Joe showed us how the story of Peter, arguably the most powerful and prominent disciple, was no different. The good news is if someone can mess up as badly as he did, but still be loved by God, we can have hope too! May this message remind you that in your ugliest of moments where it’s hard to even love yourself, Jesus loves you at your best AND your worst, because to him, love always matters most.
This weekend we continued our new message series, Famous Stories of Love, with the parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10. It's a familiar tale, but this time we looked at this story from a new perspective. There's plenty to learn from the Samaritan on how to be a good neighbor, but Pastor Zach showed us what we can learn from identifying with the man who was mugged and left for dead, with nothing to offer, and yet was still loved beyond measure.
From cover to cover, the Bible is a story of God's love for you, but woven throughout are enchanting true tales of people who have found remarkable ways to love God and others, sometimes against all odds and always at great cost. These stories will fill your heart with gratitude for God's great love for you and inspire you to find bold ways to share his love with those around you.
This weekend, Pastor Joe launched a series with the story of The Sinful Woman, found in Luke 7.
Jesus was condemned by the religious elite, killed, and buried in a tomb. Three days later, he walked out of his grave, and as a result, the world changed forever. But that's not the end of the story. This story, the greatest love story the world has ever known, continues with you. Whether you've heard the Easter story dozens of times or never at all, we hope you were able to join us to celebrate what matters most: love.
This week Pastor Joe took us through the final commandment: You shall not covet. So what's the harm in wanting something you don't have? Trying to keep up with the Joneses will never satisfy you. Plus, it's hard to really love your neighbor when you just want their stuff. Through this message, we learned that the secret to not coveting is to find contentment in God and his love for you. Fill up on his unending grace, and you'll realize you already have everything you could ever truly need.
This week Pastor Zach took us through the ninth commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. AKA: Don’t lie. It seems like a simple enough law to understand, but we learned how lying actually stems from our deep desires to be loved and to be cared for.
So why does dishonesty matter so much to God? Because you thinking you need to lie to prove or protect yourself shows you ultimately don’t trust him with your life or your future. Next time you’re tempted to lie to earn someone’s affection or gain some sort of security, remind yourself of the gospel: that you’re already infinitely loved and cared for by what Jesus has done for you.
This week Pastor Joe took us through the eighth commandment—thou shall not steal. We learned that stealing includes both wrong taking and wrong keeping. Both cause damage to not only the victim but the criminal.
We know that the opposite of stealing is generosity. And how do we become generous people? We look at how Jesus become poor for us. We laugh at how the discomfort we feel pails in comparison, and we give freely.
Many of you may have noticed that the seventh commandment on adultery was skipped in our journey through The Commandments. With the nature of the topic and so many online viewers, including small children, we thought it best that the message is released in the near future separately from our traditional weekend services.
Well, this weekend definitely felt a little different! While we weren't able to be with you all in person, we are so grateful that we can still worship together online.
Thanks for tuning in as Pastor Joe encouraged us to respond to current events with courage and compassion while others are filled with fear. It may feel like we are facing a mighty storm, but as followers of Jesus, we know we are safe in the boat with him.
We believe that as the body of Christ, this is our time to shine. We encourage you to reach out to those around you. Think about your elderly neighbors or those who might not be able to provide for themselves. Give them some of your extra toilet paper! Live in a way that others know you're not controlled by fear.
This commandment means more than you think, and we’re guilty of it in more ways than we think. When the sixth commandment says you shall not murder, it also means you shall value life. Therefore anything that damages people or devalues their worth is an affront on God himself. The good news? There is grace. The message of our Savior is that life is so meaningful, it’s worth dying to save.
This weekend we continued in our series by learning about the fifth commandment– to honor your father and mother. We learned about the importance of honoring our parents, but most importantly how the gospel fits in this commandment. We talked about the deep secret: That we have a heavenly father who does not die, will never leave you, and can heal the wounds from your earthly parents.
This weekend we continued our series in The 10 Commandments by learning about the fourth commandment– the commandment to rest. We can give our work to God as a gift of love, but we should then view rest as God’s gift to us. If we try to find our worth in what we do, we will never rest and always be a slave. But if we find out wroth in Jesus and what he has done - we will know true rest, understanding that we are already loved.
This weekend we continued our series in The 10 Commandments by learning about the third commandment– do not take the Lord’s name in vain. Pastor Zach taught us why we should not speak for God, saying, “God told me this,” especially if it can’t be found in Scripture. Rather, we can know exactly what God says by looking to Jesus and reading his word in the Bible.
This weekend we continued our series in The 10 Commandments by learning why we shouldn't create images of God. Often times this leads us to create false ideas of who God really is. Instead, we can look to Jesus, who came to earth and revealed to us who the true God is.
This week we started our new sermon series in The 10 Commandments. We know that might seem weird since our new theme is Love Matters Most, but we also know that the entire Bible, cover to cover, rightly understood about love.
We started by learning from Exodus 20:1-3, where the Israelites are commanded to have no other gods besides the Lord. Pastor Joe taught us that when God is at the center of our lives, we are then free to love others and God.
When Jesus tells us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and love our neighbor as ourself… that is a whole lot of love! But let’s be real, it can’t come from ourselves.
It is from God through Jesus that we are filled with love beyond measure, and that love means a few things. First, we can know that the bad things that happen to us will be used for good. Second, we know that we can never lose the gift of God’s love. And third, we know that we have hope for the future because the best things are yet to come!
This week, Pastor Zach shared a powerful message about God’s love from Romans 5:6-9. We learned that God’s love for us is not mathematical. He does not love in the way we do, keeping track of who owes us something or who isn’t worth our time. Instead, God loves us at our worst by sending his best, Jesus Christ. Use the link below to learn more!
Joe Coffey | This weekend we continued our series by learning about John 3:16, the most famous verse in the Bible. Whether it's through a sign at a football game or Sunday school as a kid, we've probably all heard this verse. But this weekend Pastor Joe taught us that it's more than just a comforting verse about how much God adores us. In reality, it is a rescue operation. And in reality, God's love should fill you with awe, fear, and wonder.
Joe Coffey | This weekend we kicked off Love Matters Most— our new theme that will carry us through September. From the beginning, people were created and called to love God and love others no matter the cost. But in a culture that often feels more divisive than unified, radical love is no easy task. In 2020, we want this church to be full of people that are marked by love—love for God and love for one another. Our year together will focus on loving others in a way that makes a difference wherever you are, and in a way that continues to make Jesus famous and transform lives. Will you join us?
Join us as we celebrate the birth of Christ our King on Christmas Eve. Christmas is an excellent time to spend time with family, think about the past, and give presents that make our loved ones feel known.
But as Christians, we know the most important gift of Christmas is the free gift of Jesus, the one who gave up his heavenly dwelling to live among man and make God known to us. And the best part? It is truly a free gift. Jesus paid the price through his death on a cross, for we could never earn salvation by our own efforts. Jesus has come to make God known to us. And so we celebrate—glory to God in the highest! We are not alone in our weary world; in Jesus we have hope.
This weekend we continued our series by learning how shepherds out in a field heard of the birth of Jesus from a multitude of angels. God chose to use shepherds to spread the word of his son’s birth as they went back to their towns and told everyone what they saw. They couldn’t help but tell others of God’s magnificent glory.
If like the shepherds, you’ve been radically changed by God, have you told others of the joy you now have? Go out and proclaim his glory! Or maybe this Christmas you’re still looking for that joy. We invite you to be like the shepherds and look to God. Come and celebrate the birth of Jesus with us!
The grandness and power of God can make him feel distant in a way that we'll never really know what he's thinking. What if we had the chance to stop guessing what God is like? In Christ, we do have that chance. Christmas reminds us not only of how Christ came to live with us but also that God is fully revealed, and fully knowable through Christ if we only make the choice to consider him.
It's easy to miss the power of Christmas because it's such a familiar, sentimental story. But we want to make sure you don't miss the white-hot core of the holiday. This weekend, Pastor Joe encouraged us to remember that Christmas means the God of the universe came in human flesh as a baby to restore and renew all things that are decaying and being destroyed now. And that is our reason to celebrate!
Christmas time can easily become cluttered with festive music, movies, and traditions-- but what if we also looked at it as a rescue mission? This week Pastor Joe taught us that if you've ever been lost, you've probably asked yourself three things: Does anyone know I'm lost? Does anyone care that I'm lost? And, will anyone come for me? When we think of Christmas, we can think of Jesus on a rescue mission, coming as God in flesh to rescue each one of us.
As you go about your normal Christmas traditions, know that you're never too far gone for Jesus to save you. We follow a God who leaves the 99 to rescue one lost sheep.
Pastor Zach defined obedience is trust in action. We saw that our chief issue with God isn’t our performance — it is whether or not we trust God. Trust can be hard, but we know that Jesus already earned God’s trust for us by living, dying, rising from the dead. When we look to Jesus, we can cast our doubts aside and trust that his Word is true. We can then live out that reality in our own lives, live obediently to his Word and making Jesus famous by showing others how God shows up for us.
Joe Coffey | This week, Pastor Joe taught us how hospitality is a Surprisingly Simple Way to Make Jesus Famous. Through hospitality, we practice seeing people the way others don't, caring for them the way others won't, and sacrificing for them so they can feel known and loved. It can be as simple as playing with the little girl on the playground that others make fun of. Our acts of hospitality mirror the work Jesus did for us, and are practical ways to make his name known.
Zach Weihrauch | This week, Pastor Zach taught us how generosity is a Surprisingly Simple Way to Make Jesus Famous. We learned that because God has shown his love for us by laying down Jesus' life for our behalf, we can trust him to take care of us. God looks out for our security and satisfaction so we don't half to. When we're able to lay those things down, we're able to truly be generous and take care of others. As we find intentional ways to care for others, we can show them God's love and make Jesus famous.
Joe Coffey | Forgiveness is in no way easy, but it’s simple because every day we are given opportunities to offer someone forgiveness. And when we realize how much Jesus has forgiven us, we can no longer hold on to the hurt that has been done to us. Our only choice is to pay the debt ourself, and move forward. Tune in as Pastor Joe teaches on why the story Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35) leads us to patience, pity, and release.
Mike Holwerda | This week we learned about how Jesus is greater than any other trend or teaching. Pastor Mike Holwerda showed us how other popular teachings might seem fair, but in reality, they just give us a checklist that we could never keep in order to please God or obtain happiness. We need someone greater, so we look to Jesus. Jesus provided a way for us to be treated with grace, something the world cannot offer us. He checked off every box on the list and laid his life down so that we can receive grace for our past, present, and future sins. If we believe in Jesus, we receive his grace now and forever.
Joe Coffey | The Bible shares stories about many different heroes who had unwavering faith in God—from Abraham to Moses to Rahab and countless others. All of their stories have one thing in common. They acted out of faith because they were sure of the promise to come, the promise of a Savior. The whole Bible points to the hero we have in Jesus, the one who defeated evil and now seated on his throne. This week we learn that Jesus is greater than any hero we can imagine and we can act in faith just like the stories in the Old Testament because we know our hero has already won.
Joe Coffey | This week Pastor Joe taught us why Jesus' death on the cross was greater than any other sacrifice that has been made. His sacrifice tells us how broken we are, how much he loves us, but also how we can receive healing for the things we've done to others and the things done to us. No one can heal us like Jesus. He came to earth, both fully God and fully man, to rescue us and make his name known. We can always look to the cross as a constant reminder of the sacrifice made for us and God's deep love for us.
Joe Coffey | In the Old Testament, we see high priests making sacrifices for the sins of the people and themselves. It was the system God set up to cleanse the souls of his people. The problem with high priests is that they were still human, meaning they still sinned and would eventually pass away. But then in the New Testament, we see Jesus, our holy, unstained, perfect high priest who will reign forever. He represents us to God, washing us of the filth that clings so closely to our souls, and gives us his righteousness. This exchange means we can boldly approach God, removing our insecurities and giving us courage as we face trials. In Jesus, we have our greater high priest.
Joe Coffey | This week we learned that as humans, we inherently struggle to rest our body and soul. It is difficult to not constantly question, “Am I good enough?” or “Have I done enough?”. Rest doesn’t come naturally because we have a hard time believing that God has and will continue to provide everything we could ever need. But then we look to see Jesus, the one who can sympathize with our weaknesses. The one who has endured more than we could every imagine, and tells us we are his. It is with confidence that we can look to Jesus and receive mercy, finding rest for our weary souls.
Joe Coffey | This week, Pastor Joe taught us why Jesus is greater than Moses. We learned that Jesus is both an apostle and a high priest, making a way to God for us. And nobody, not even Moses, can do what Jesus did by dying on a cross as our sacrificial lamb.
Zach Weihrauch | Join us as Pastor Zach continues our Hebrews Together series by sharing why Jesus is greater than angels. Angels carry a temporary message from God, but Jesus is more than a messenger—Jesus has a more authoritative voice than any angel or prophet, and his message satisfies all of our deepest needs. We do not have to search for signs or messages from angels because in Jesus, we can go straight to the source who is now seated at the right hand of God.
Joe Coffey | Hebrews Together is officially here! Pastor Joe kicked off this new series by showing us how Jesus is greater than all the prophets who came before him, delivering messages from God. In Jesus we see more than just a message, we see God fully revealed in human form, making it possible for us to know him intimately.
Todd Iannetta | This weekend we heard from Pastor Todd Iannetta about the transforming power of community. We learned that not only should our church community be a place that others can be broken, loved, and restored, but that those changes can start with us.
Orchard NEO Weekend was a celebration of both the mission God has given us as a church, to ensure every neighborhood of Northeast Ohio has an effective gospel-centered church and the role he has given each of us to play in that mission.
If you missed it, make sure you take the assessment at ccchapel.com/Orchard to learn what part you can play in our church planting mission!
Joe Coffey | How often do you go to God asking for what you think you need, but he answers that prayer in a different way? Many times we think we know exactly what we need in order to keep us safe, happy, or cared for. But Jesus sees what we really need, even if it isn't what we expect.
The same thing happens when the paralytic man is dropped in front of Jesus. Many see what his apparent needs are, but Jesus goes deeper and addresses the root issue. Join us as Pastor Joe preaches from Mark 2:1-12 on what we think we need, what we really need, and where we can find both.
Joe Coffey | During Jesus' crucifixion, two other men, criminals, were crucified with him. The words they exchanged while their deaths quickly approached reveals a great deal of Jesus' heart and why he saves us.
Join us for this message in the Dirty Dozen series as Pastor Joe teaches from Luke 23:32-43 on how one of the dying men asked the wrong question, one of dying men asked the right question, and one of the dying men gave a shocking answer.
Zach Weihrauch | Have you ever asked yourself why you think God wants to help you? While it sounds like an odd or harsh question, it reveals a lot about our heart, theology, and expectations of God. Through the gospel, we know that the only reason God helps us is because of Jesus- not our actions, good deeds, or position in life. Scripture is full of stories about people asking mighty things from God, trusting he will provide.
Join us as Pastor Zach teaches from Mark 7:24-28 on why the story of the Canaanite Woman offends us, why it didn't offend her, and why she’s right.
Joe Coffey | Join us as Pastor Joe preaches from Mark 5:21-43 on how one woman stepping out in faith and believing that even one touch from Jesus could heal her after twelve years of sickness revealed the power of Jesus to everyone around her.
Mike Holwerda | If Jesus was going to tell someone to change, most people might think Nicodemus would be the last person on that list. He was a Pharisee, ruler of Jews, and a highly moral teacher. He already had all his ducks in a row, nothing left to change!
At least he thought. But Jesus knew what Nicodemus really needed, and that was to be reborn. Join us as Pastor Mike preaches from John 2:23-3:15 on what Jesus knows that only Jesus knows, what Jesus can do that only Jesus could do, and how Nicodemus can live in a way no one else can.
Zach Weihrauch | Sometimes the loudest voices in our head are the negative things that people have said about us. Maybe you grew up hearing negative things from parents, friends, or teachers about who you are and what you're worth. It's hard not to let those things dictate how we view ourselves.
So, imagine the woman at the well's thoughts when Jesus approached her and asked for a drink of water. Being a Samaritan woman with a known history of being with many men, she was not used to being approached by anyone-- especially not a Jewish man. The world made it clear to here she was worthless. But in one short conversation, Jesus changed her view of herself and the world. And he can do that for you too.
Join us as Pastor Zach preaches from John 4 on how we view ourselves, how God views us, how we can go from our way to God's way, and what happens when we do.
Zach Weihrauch | An encounter with Jesus always produces change is us, even those of us who seemingly already have all we need.
Join us as Pastor Zach preaches about from Luke 19:1-10 on what made Zaccheus an unlikely person to change by explaining why change is a problem, why change is what it's all about, and why change is not what you think.
Joe Coffey | The entirety of our Christian faith anchors on one thing: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So when we are asked to believe that the Son of God was killed, buried, and then walked out of the grave, is it any wonder that we struggle with doubt? Is believing that Jesus defeated death, resulting in our salvation, too good to be true? Jesus knew people would doubt. Scripture shows how he addresses doubt through the man we all might know as "Doubting Thomas." Listen to this weeks message in the Dirty Dozen series as Pastor Joe shows us how Jesus understands and addresses our doubts, yet includes us in his story anyway.
Joe Coffey | We've all been there, in a situation where we don't know what to do or say. Maybe it's a person on the street asking for money, or a tragic situation in a friend's life. We often find ourselves in circumstances where we just can't find the right words to say. Or maybe you've been on the other end of that scenario. Maybe you have been the person experiencing deep grief or a painful trial, and you notice that people are pulling away from you. Phone calls go unanswered, and you don't know where to go for help. You feel like nobody sees you. In both situations, we can look to Jesus and his interactions with Mary Magdalene. Listen to this weeks message in our Dirty Dozen series to learn how Jesus sees us when it feels like nobody else can, seeks us out and engages us no matter what's going on in our life, and makes a place for us when we feel like we don't belong.
Joe Coffey | Have you ever felt like you’re not worthy of Jesus’ love because you have failed him in some way? If so, you’re in good company. Even Peter, called to be the rock upon which Jesus would build his church, failed Jesus pretty spectacularly. Peter denied he knew Jesus three times after Jesus was arrested, despite assuring Jesus, he would stay faithful to him.
Peter should have been disqualified from being used by God from that point on, but he wasn’t... and he went on to bring thousands of people to Christ. The reason? Jesus’ grace and forgiveness. The same grace and forgiveness he has for all of us if we’re willing to accept it.
Todd Iannetta | It's easy for us to look around, see people who have ended up at terrible points in their lives by making bad decisions, and think, "That could never be me." Should we be so sure, though? There is a road to evil, but most people don't choose to walk down it consciously. We don't set out to be "bad people," but we do we make little decisions to give in to sinful desires, taking small steps that we hardly notice or justify to ourselves. By the time we realize what we've done, it may feel like we've gone too far to turn back.
The things we seek most in life end up controlling us, and if those things are sinful by nature, we can end up miserable and at a point where we hardly recognize ourselves anymore. Unless, as Todd explains today, we experience a collision of mercy that changes our course and ultimately saves us from ourselves.
Joe Coffey | Followers of Christ are often characterized as the "good people" living clean lives, but when we look at those who first followed Jesus, we realize that many definitely don't fit that description. Take Matthew for instance: He was a tax collector hated by his fellow Jews for his service to the Romans, but when Jesus called him as a follower, he immediately obeyed. Jesus knows we're all sinners; it's a willingness to change that matters most to him. Matthew heard the call, felt the touch, and embraced the change of Jesus. As Pastor Joe explains in today's sermon, we can, too.
Nine years ago, Sanj Kalra gave his life to Jesus, going through what he calls a "Saul to Paul" conversion. Through forgiveness and reconciliation with God, he not only turned away from a sinful life, but eventually became a globe-traveling speaker for Ravi Zaccharias International Ministries (RZIM), an organization of evangelists using apologetics to "influence the influencers" in society by asking and answering questions about faith. Listen today as he tells us about the work RZIM is doing around the world, from corporate boardrooms to academic halls to political centers, as we feature RZIM in addition to our ministry to refugees in Rome during this Micah 6:8 weekend.
Joe Coffey | When we look for evidence of God, we might search for a loud voice to roll through the earth, or for writing to appear in the sky. Maybe we think that if God is real and loves us, he won't allow tragedies to happen in our lives. Scripture makes claims that God is all-powerful and all-knowing, so we look for obvious signs that prove those claims.
So what's the problem with God being "obvious"? Join us for the last week of our Great Questions series as Pastor Joe preaches on the clearest sign of God's existence: lives radically transformed by Jesus Christ.
Joe Coffey | What can God tell us that science can't? Sometimes it feels easy to explain away any problem we face, whether it's in our own life or another's. There is a simple answer as to why socioeconomic problems exist, research to prove why some people get cancer while others don't, and data to show why divorce is so common.
But what happens when the pain we experience can't be explained away? What happens when we are searching for healing, connection, and a place to dwell, but the facts are helping? It is in those moments that God meets us with something that science can't: love. Tune in as Pastor Joe teaches us how the deep, unfailing, and faithful love of God can transform our soul.
Zach Weihrauch | Conversations about hell can be personal and painful. Maybe you've been told you will go to hell, or maybe you're unsure about what happened to a loved one after their passing. It can be difficult to understand why a loving God would send people to hell. But for just 30 minutes, consider putting those past experiences aside and listen to Pastor Zach Weihrauch argue that hell proves God is loving, as it is a monument that God sees and cares for victims.
Joe Coffey | At some point in life, everyone will face trials of suffering, it's an inevitable part of the human experience. But how do we make sense of God's goodness along with the bad things that happen to us? One thing we know from Scripture is that God wants us to ask that question. Join Pastor Joe as he teaches why a simple answer will never suffice. Only Jesus can.
Joe Coffey | "It is finished." The last three words Jesus spoke before his final breath hold significant meaning. They signify the cost of forgiveness, the reality that the Son of God had to die in order for our relationship with God to be restored. Tune in to our Easter service as Pastor Joe preaches on forgiveness and it's unique ability to heal our souls.
Joe Coffey | The idea of home means different things to different people. For some, it's a place or a person, maybe for others, it's a specific smell or sound that feels like home. We all long for a place where we fit, a place where we are comfortable, loved, and understood. But in reality, those feelings are just a faint glimmer of our true home, our heavenly home where God dwells.
Join us as we continue our Only Jesus series as Pastor Joe teaches from John 14:1-6 about our search for home, the price of home, and the promise home.
Zach Weihrauch | In the chaos of life, we can start to feel like God is far removed from the pain and frustration of our daily lives. Maybe we know that he is all-knowing and that we can go to him and prayer, but we forget that he is a God of empathy, who defeated death through his son, Jesus. How might fully embracing that truth change the way we live, pray, and respond to tough circumstances?
Join us as Pastor Zach teaches us that only Jesus truly understands us, loves us, and can help us.
Joe Coffey | John 10:7-15 compares humans to sheep, making the claim that Jesus is our one true shepherd. The funny part about that? Sheep are extremely dumb, dependent, and in constant need of direction from their shepherd. Tune in as Pastor Joe explains (in human terms) why we, like sheep, truly need Jesus as our shepherd.
Joe Coffey | Often times when things go wrong we are tempted to think one of two things: this is my fault, or there is someone else I can blame for this. We bounce between anger and guilt, continually asking why we are hurting and why bad things are happening. Yet in John 9:1-11, Jesus presents a third option of why we suffer. As Jesus gives sight to a blind man, he says the man suffered so that the works of God might be displayed in him. Tune in as Pastor Joe explains how Jesus' work can help us see our suffering differently.
Zach Weihrauch | Sometimes life feels like we are walking around in darkness. At times we are unsure which decision is the right one, wondering where we should go next, and asking God why hard things are happening to us. We've all been there. The truth about our nature is that we're born into a world where we don't know what we're doing, we're born into darkness. Join Pastor Zach as he preaches from John 8:12-20 on how the light of Jesus can offer us clarity, certainty, and confidence as we walk through life.
Todd Iannetta | It's easy to think if we just had a little bit more of one thing, we'd be content. "If I just had a little bit more money, if I lost a little bit more weight, if my wife just listened a little bit better, then I'd be happy." We all have something. But what happens if we get what we want and we're still not happy? Or what if we never get that one thing we really think we need?
Jesus knew we'd always be hungry for something but shows us that he is the only thing that can truly satisfy. Tune in as Pastor Todd teaches how only Jesus gives us life.
Joe Coffey | John 2:1-11 tells the often referenced story of Jesus surprising guests at a wedding by turning water into wine. This surprises many people, because it may seem odd that the first miracle Jesus ever performed publicly was turning one beverage into another. However, in this message Pastor Joe shares how this miracle can show us that Jesus is the Lord of the feast, and therefore the source of all joy.
Joe Coffey | With so many religions, political parties, and special interest groups in our culture, why should Christianity be the best thing for this world? This week Pastor Joe discusses why the "Shalom," a Hebrew word meaning peace, wholeness, and flourishing, that God offers is the best thing for our word.
Mike Holwerda | Life is full of "that's not right" moments. But have you ever stopped to wonder... how did we get here? So often, we find that the church is implicit with the injustices of our time. We tend to be more involved in church-things than justice-things. It seems easier to focus on daily devotionals and church programming and lose focus on social concern or advocacy. How can the church become a place that values justice? Listen to this weeks message in the series, "Christianity: Famous or Infamous?" to learn how you can Make Jesus Famous in your life.
Joe Coffey | A recent study found that 87% of people outside the church view Christians as judgemental. In contrast, during Jesus' lifetime he was accused of many things, but never of being judgemental. Nobody wants to admit that they have a habit of judging others, but with such a stark contrast between how the world views us and how Jesus lived, something must change. In this message, Pastor Joe shares how we can look to Jesus and move from being judgemental to merciful.
Joe Coffey | The Bible has a lot to say about equality, but what does that matter for us today? In this message, Pastor Joe starts off the new series, Christianity: Famous of Infamous?, by speaking on the idea of "Us vs. Them." Listen to learn how the church has failed and succeeded in the past to treat everyone with love and care, as well as how we can all work to be agents of restoration in our communities today.
Joe Coffey & Zach Weihrauch | As we continue to Make Jesus Famous this year, Pastor Joe introduces new staff member, Zach Weihrauch, who is leading our new church planting initiative, Orchard NEO. Listen as Zach shares about the importance of The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) and how the church is meant to fulfill Jesus' commands to make disciples of all the nations.
Joe Coffey | After focusing on our homes, Pastor Joe shares how the next step in Making Jesus Famous is to make Him known in our communities. Listen as we learn how we can start by focusing on sharing Jesus with one friend this year, being intentional in the groups we belong to, and also being an active blessing to the city.
Joe Coffey | Make Jesus Famous is our first series of 2019 and introduces our roles as part of a much bigger story, one that makes Jesus famous.
Joe Coffey | This week Pastor Joe introduces our theme for 2019: Make Jesus Famous! Listen as he shares about what it means to make Jesus famous, why we should worry about making him famous, and how we can all use our personal stories of how Jesus has healed our wounds to make him known.
Joe Coffey | This Christmas Eve we hear from Pastor Joe as we’re reminded of the love, grace, and forgiveness of God that can only be found at home with Jesus Christ, the one true King, and Savior.
Joe Coffey | This week in our ongoing series called The Night That Everything Changed, we look at how three different groups of people respond to Jesus in the story of the wise men. Everyone has a response to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Does your response match that of a king, that of a chief priest, or that of wise men?
Joe Coffey | The birth of any baby brings with it a lot of changes for new parents, but the birth of Jesus likely changed a lot for many closest to him. Among other things, the birth of Jesus likely changed the way Mary and Joseph saw God, the way they saw themselves, and the way they understood what it meant to be saved.
Joe Coffey | We're focusing on the birth of Jesus with the last sermon series of the year, The Night Everything Changed. This week, we look at the shepherds who were present the night Jesus was born, Emmanuel. This particular week, we seek a better understanding of the fear that Luke 2:8-14 depicts. As we explore this passage, we look to answer three questions: What brings about fear in the shepherds? What drives fear from them? And how did their fear turn from fear to peace and joy?
Joe Coffey | In our short series on what it means to serve Christ, we look to the third pillar of our purpose statement to know Jesus, to grow in your relationship with him, and to serve him. This we open Luke 10 and discuss the power that believers have to serve.
Joe Coffey | In our short series on what it means to serve Christ, we look to the third pillar of our purpose statement to know Jesus, to grow in your relationship with him, and to serve him. This week we share incredible stories and turn to Deuteronomy 10 in order to understand the reason that believers serve.
Joe Coffey | As we bring to close our series on the book of Ephesians, we look to Ephesians 6:10-20 and the ongoing spiritual battle that we as believers are to be ready for.
Jimmy Kozy | This week, hear from Jimmy Kozy, the Student Ministry Pastor of the Hudson Campus. On this special Student Ministries weekend, we celebrate how our student ministries live out their mission to lead students to meet Jesus and take steps toward Christ. Also, we turn to Ephesians 6:1-9 to be reminded how we are to manage the power that we have as believers, no matter what role we're in.
Joe Coffey | This week in our study on the book of Ephesians, we turn to Chapter 5, which follows Paul's encouragement to live according to the example that Christ left for us. In verses 18-33, Paul asks the recipients of his letter to walk in love before specifically addressing how marriage between two believers ought to look in light of the Gospel.
Todd Iannetta | As we continue taking strides together through the book of Ephesians, we look to Chapter 5 to and discuss what it means to walk in newness as a follower of Jesus Christ.
Mike Holwerda | TAs we continue taking strides together through the book of Ephesians, we look to Chapter 5 to and discuss what it means to walk in newness as a follower of Jesus Christ.
Joe Coffey | Our walk together through the book of Ephesians continues as we look at the second half of Chapter 4. Here we begin to answer the question, “How does someone really change?” We learn that Paul believes it starts with the mind, then the heart, and that ultimately changes everything else about the way you live.
Joe Coffey | This week in our ten-week walk together through the book of Ephesians, we pause in Ephesians 4:1-6 to learn how grace revives individuals who believes in Jesus, and in turn the community around them.
Joe Coffey | We continue our series through the book of Ephesians this week, looking to the third chapter of Ephesians to define the new purpose believers have in Christ. Apostle Paul reminds us that we can trust God now and always, with the purpose of transformative power starting in us and changing the world around us.
Sean Mabee | Our ten-week series through Ephesians continues this week as we look to the tail-end of Chapter 2, verses 11-22. This particular week we discuss how being transformed unites and builds together God’s children as one new family in Christ.
Jimmy Kozy | This week, we continue our ten-week series through the book of Ephesians. We move on to Chapter 2 of Ephesians and look to verses 1-10 as we reflect on how all of his children have individually been created and designed to do great things, which God prepared for us before we were even born. Do you know what good works you were made for?
Todd Iannetta | This week, we continue our ten-week series through the book of Ephesians. We move on to Chapter 2 of Ephesians and look to verses 1-10 as we reflect on how all of his children have individually been created and designed to do great things, which God prepared for us before we were even born. Do you know what good works you were made for?
Joe Coffey | This week, we continue our ten-week study through the book of Ephesians as learn about the new hope we have in Christ. We look to a prayer of Paul's in the second half of Ephesians 1 and reflect on what it means to share in the power and inheritance gifted to God's people.
Joe Coffey | This week we kick off our new series on the book of Ephesians by exploring our new status as believers, having been saved by the work of Christ for a specific purpose.
Our friend Tom Randall reminds us to keep our perspective attuned to the works of God, in hopes that we might catch even the unseen ways that he protects his children. What do you treasure? We can say with confidence that our father in heaven treasures us.
Joe Coffey | This week, we conclude our series on growing in Christ as we explore our own brokenness and hear a different way to heal. Pastor Joe surveys stories of Jesus, the Great Physician, to show that spiritual healing is available in Christ if we readily and regularly look for it.
Mike Holwerda | We exist to see people come to know Jesus, grow in him, and serve him daily. This week, we continue our discussion on what it means to grow in Jesus and live differently as we survey what Romans 12:1-2 teaches us.
Caleb Eernisse | We exist to see people come to know Jesus, grow in him, and serve him daily. This week, we continue our discussion on what it means to grow in Jesus and live differently as we survey what Romans 12:1-2 teaches us.
Joe Coffey | Why does CCC gather together in worship, love, and service the way that we do? This week, we read through the end of Acts 2 and consider an entirely different way to live together as a church in hopes to be changed ourselves and to change others.
Abdu Murray | When you are confronted with the truth, sometimes the truth hurts. This week, we hear Abdu Murray share the story of his faith as it changed from Islam to Christ, from what he understood merely as a set of rules and regulations to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Joe Coffey | This week, we look at the source of the power that transforms us, the Holy Spirit, as well as how it is that God uses the Holy Spirit to change us. We see that the Holy Spirit renews us from the inside out, empowering us to live for Christ.
Joe Coffey | Beauty draws us in, attracting us and affecting us in powerful ways. It can focus our attention, refresh us and make intimidating change feel worth it… empowering us to be transformed. To be what God wants us to be, we must first see and respond to his beauty and the beauty of all he has created. Once we realize that he is our reward, then we can meaningfully shift to become more like him.
Joe Coffey | Suffering is one of the best and most terrible gifts God gives us. No one wants to experience suffering, yet when we do, we often find that God uses it to show what we truly believe and truly love. Suffering can make us angry or confused, but it can also make us better friends, neighbors, mentors and humans. Most importantly, it shows us the nature of our hearts, others’ hearts and God’s heart with a clarity we can scarcely experience otherwise.
Todd Iannetta | As we continue our focus on how God shapes our lives through impactful interactions and subtle shifts, we’re looking at the importance of mentorships. Without mentors, we wouldn’t know how to do anything… Learning from others is an essential part of human development, and mentorship has been crucial to the spreading of the Christian faith since Jesus first taught his disciples more than 2,000 years ago. If the church is to continue flourishing, it’s important that we embrace and encourage spiritual mentorship today.
Joe Coffey | From the very earliest days of the church, fellowship with cherished friends has been an important part of the Christian experience. God never meant for man to be alone, and we find that strong relationships with other followers of Jesus are just as important today as they were 2,000 years ago. This week, hear Pastor Joe explain why it is we need friends to grow in our faith, what sort of friends we need and when we need these people most as we focus on the people and circumstances God uses to shape us in.
Mike Holwerda | Men are called in the Bible to be leaders within their households and beyond, but what does that look like today? As we continue our series called “Man Month” at CCC, this week we discuss what it means to live like a man of purity in our pursuit of God.
Jimmy Kozy | Men are called in the Bible to be leaders within their households and beyond, but what does that look like today? As we continue our series called “Man Month” at CCC, this week we discuss what it means to live like a man of purity in our pursuit of God.
Jim Colledge | This week, we continue “Man Month” at CCC as we discuss a man and his legacy. We all have a legacy, whether good or not so good, and Pastor Jim Colledge takes us to Nehemiah 5:17-19 and 13:14-31 to reflect on how it is that we will be remembered by others. Learn how one’s goodness, godliness, integrity and servitude influence a man’s legacy.
Joe Coffey | This week, we look at what it means to be courageous as a man of God, persevering through suffering and finding ways to become more like Jesus in the process. Courage is the motivation to do something challenging because you have a commitment to someone or something that supersedes your desire for comfort, pleasure and happiness. You can’t always choose your times to be courageous, but through discipline and an understanding that God only brings into your life what is necessary for you to flourish, you can be ready to take courageous steps when the moment arrives.
Caleb Eernisse | This week, we kick off “Man Month” at CCC by talking about what it looks like to be a “man after God’s own heart,” much like King David was. Whether you’re “feasting on the Word of God” by reading, studying and acting upon Biblical truth, repenting wholeheartedly when you sin or worshiping God and ascribing all glory to him, hear what it takes to live as a man of God in today’s broken world.
Todd Iannetta | The Bible is a book that has the ability to reshape lives. In a “post-truth” society, it is as important as ever that we recognize God’s word as authoritative in our lives. The Bible won’t change us if we compromise on what it says, nor if we don’t recognize and accept God’s grace through Jesus’ death on the cross. After all, we are designed to live the fullest lives while living within the parameters of God’s plan, and the Bible is our best means of understanding and walking in his ways.
Mike Holwerda | The Bible is a book that has the ability to reshape lives. In a “post-truth” society, it is as important as ever that we recognize God’s word as authoritative in our lives. The Bible won’t change us if we compromise on what it says, nor if we don’t recognize and accept God’s grace through Jesus’ death on the cross. After all, we are designed to live the fullest lives while living within the parameters of God’s plan, and the Bible is our best means of understanding and walking in his ways.
Joe Coffey | We often think of worshiping as a choice, but in reality, everyone worships something. We all have a desire for something greater than ourselves, and that’s why we become fans of sports teams, musicians, actors and other entities to the extent that they become part of our identities. The object of our worship changes, but we all worship in one way or another. This week, Pastor Joe Coffey explains what worship is, how worship works and what worship does as we consider how worship plays a vital role in our transformation into more loving, serving, giving followers of Christ.
Joe Coffey | Good news has the power to impact us and change us long-term. There is no more striking example of this truth than the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is so good, so strong, so wonderful and goes so deep that it has the power to change you every day in every way until you die… and then beyond. Today, Pastor Joe explains what the gospel is, what the gospel means and how the gospel changes you as we continue our series “Agents of Change.”
Joe Coffey | This week, Pastor Joe kicks off a new series called “Agents of Change,” focusing on the nature of prayer and its ability to impact our lives. While the power of prayer can be hard to measure, the Bible makes it clear that prayer is an important part of our relationship with God. Hear some common mistakes people make about prayer, the importance of pairing prayer with action and how CCC is tapping into both with a group called Transform Summit to make a difference in our region.
Tom Randall | In Philemon 1:7, we hear Paul say to his friend Philemon, “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.” As missionary and chaplain Tom Randall explains today through a series of personal stories, whether it’s showing kindness to a non-believer or being encouraged by a close friend, refreshment is a powerful part of the Christian journey that we shouldn’t overlook.
Joe Coffey | In Mark 10:23, we hear Jesus say, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” It is a verse that can make us uncomfortable, as most of us have more than we need yet don’t like parting with our riches. While money can be a powerful barrier to walking with God, it can also be a powerful tool for creating joy and showing obedience to the Lord. This week, we hear the story of two rich men in the Bible who encountered Jesus and responded quite differently with their money… What can we learn about a right relationship with money from these two examples?
Joe Coffey | This week, we look at the story of Thomas, the disciple of Jesus infamous for his doubt. While he may have been among the first Christians to express doubt in Jesus, he was far from the last. There is a type of healthy doubt that helps to refine and mature our faith, especially for those who have been raised in Christianity. However, doubt can also come in the form of a crisis of faith: the result of a misalignment of life choices and beliefs or a disappointment in God. These crises may not be experienced by everyone, but they can be truly challenging to endure. The good news is that as much as sin can push us further into doubt, obedience to God can draw us deeper into faith—much like Thomas experienced the gap of disappointment, felt Jesus’ scars and was brought back to abide in Jesus’ love.
Sam Allberry | In John 4, we read the story of Jesus’ encounter with an outcast woman drawing water from a well. It would have been a scandalous story during those days, as men were not supposed to speak to women they didn’t know—especially not with Samaritans, whom the Jews looked down upon. Yet we see no hesitation in Jesus, who sees beyond the cultural barriers to perceive a person with a deep need to be known and loved… Just like all of us. This week, guest speaker Sam Allberry from Ravi Zacharias International Ministries explains how, like the Samaritan woman, we don’t truly know ourselves until we meet Jesus, and we can’t quench our thirst to be truly loved without him, “the living water.” It may seem like we can’t be fully known and fully loved at the same time, but with Jesus, it’s possible.
Joe Coffey | If the story of Jesus’ death on the cross is true, it means God knows you and loves you completely, which can change who you are. This Easter, Pastor Joe explains that in dying on the cross for our sins, Jesus offers us something for our heart, something for our head and something to change our lives. We can rest assured that we were most loved while we were at our worst, that the resurrection truly happened and that the good news of salvation is the catalyst needed to change the world.
Joe Coffey | “Home” has an important meaning to most of us. We’ve heard quotes like “home is where the heart is,” “there’s no place like home” and so on all the time in our culture… And for good reason: home, after all, should be a safe place where we feel that we belong, and it’s somewhere we often long to be. Physical homes aren’t the only ones that matter though. We also have an eternal spiritual home in heaven because Jesus was willing to give up his position in a place where he belonged to make a way home for us through his death on the cross. Everything he gave up, we gained, and now we can look forward to sharing in his inheritance in the future.
Joe Coffey | In many ways, Jesus’ death on the cross gave us freedom. We became free from the law of sin and death, allowing us to flourish as we recognize we are justified through Jesus and nothing else. This week, Pastor Joe explains that, thanks to the cross, the structure is now in place for you to be you… But in the eyes of God, your worth doesn’t depend on your identity – it was all determined by what happened on the cross.
Todd Iannetta | The concept of suffering is central to the Christian faith. Our most important symbol, the cross, is a symbol of suffering, shame, and death, after all. While this may not sound too encouraging on the surface, when you understand who Jesus was and what he did for us, “suffering” ends up sounding less like a dirty word and more like an amazing gift. Today we hear how Jesus’ suffering in the past impacts our suffering today and what it ultimately means for suffering (or the lack thereof) in the future.
Jimmy Kozy | The concept of suffering is central to the Christian faith. Our most important symbol, the cross, is a symbol of suffering, shame and death, after all. While this may not sound too encouraging on the surface, when you understand who Jesus was and what he did for us, “suffering” ends up sounding less like a dirty word and more like an amazing gift. Today we hear how Jesus’ suffering in the past impacts our suffering today and what it ultimately means for suffering (or the lack thereof) in the future.
Joe Coffey | Every human soul is afflicted with two deadly diseases: guilt and shame. As sinful people, we can’t break free of the cycle of guilt and shame on our own… But while trespasses can’t be healed, they can be paid for. By suffering on the cross for us, Jesus experienced shame and punishment on our behalf, becoming the eternal sacrifice that bought our forgiveness. Now it’s up to us to relish that forgiveness and willingly forgive those around us.
Joe Coffey | In 3 John 1:4, the disciple John says that there is no greater joy than to hear his children are walking in the truth… We agree. When the next generation is raised up in the ways of the Lord, it’s good for them, it’s good for us and it’s good for the world. Join us this week as we celebrate our children’s ministry and take the opportunity to give to some children-focused ministries: the Coalition of Children in Need Association (COCINA) in Haiti, Action for Empowerment (AOET) in Uganda, and CCC’s own foster care and adoption ministry.
Joe Coffey | Jesus lit the fuse of a movement that upended the ancient world and continues to rock our world to this day. The process that transformed his followers who in turn transformed the world is the same process today: it takes place on the inside of a person and expresses itself on the outside. Join us as we take a look at those steps of inward transformation and the use of baptism as an expression of that change.
Caleb Eernisse | We all have a natural desire to belong, and when we choose to follow Jesus and become a Christian, we find that we suddenly belong to the worldwide family of his followers known as “the church.” As members of the church, we are told in I Corinthians 12:12-26 that we are part of a global “body of Christ” and that we all have important roles to play in that body. We may all be different and it may be difficult to always feel as though we belong, but if we know that we are one, trust that we are one and act as though we are one, we can begin to work with the rest of the body of Christ to be transformed and transform the world.
Mike Holwerda | We all have a natural desire to belong, and when we choose to follow Jesus and become a Christian, we find that we suddenly belong to the worldwide family of his followers known as “the church.” As members of the church, we are told in I Corinthians 12:12-26 that we are part of a global “body of Christ” and that we all have important roles to play in that body. We may all be different and it may be difficult to always feel as though we belong, but if we know that we are one, trust that we are one and act as though we are one, we can begin to work with the rest of the body of Christ to be transformed and transform the world.
Todd Iannetta | The first step toward being transformed and achieving great things through Christ is believing. It may sound basic, but it can often feel like taking a huge jump. We may know that there is great joy and freedom through faith in God, but it doesn’t make taking that jump easy. Choosing to trust in God requires admitting we are broken without him, stuck in our sin and needing a savior. We may feel too unworthy, too vulnerable to judgment or that we’re giving up too much by believing in the saving power of Christ. But when we do take that “leap of faith” – when we join that body of other broken believers in the arms of God for all eternity – we realize it was well worth it.
Joe Coffey | This January, we’re focusing as a church on three bold claims of Christianity: you can know God, God can change you and God can use you to change the world. This week, we investigate the third claim, recognizing that Christianity has changed the world so deeply that it’s almost impossible to imagine a world that was never impacted by Jesus and his followers. This drastic ability to influence dates back to Jesus’ disciples – a group of ordinary, uneducated men who quickly transformed the known world by living as Jesus taught them. And that ability still resides with Christians today who can tap into a different identity (Jesus), a different purpose (serving others), and a different power (love and fearlessness through the Holy Spirit) to positively impact the world together.
Joe Coffey | As we focus this year on knowing God, being changed by him and then being used to change the world, one of the first things we must realize is that we need to change. On the surface, that isn’t exactly hard… Many of us made New Year’s resolutions not long ago precisely because we want to change. We need to realize, however, that we don’t only need to change our eating and exercise habits, but our very spiritual identities. This week, Pastor Joe explains what that looks like—how we need to change and how Jesus allows it to happen. Because as Christians, it’s not about trying to change the thousand things that are wrong with us… It’s about making one change in our lives by deciding to follow and trust in Jesus as our savior.
Joe Coffey | In Ephesians 2:1-10, we read that we were dead in our trespasses and sins, but because of God’s great love and grace, we have been saved. Because we are naturally spiritually dead, we have little desire to put God at the center of our lives. While we could act like the moon—a cold, dead rock that still reflects the brilliant light of the sun to illuminate the world—we choose not to do so. We could put God at the center of our lives and choose to orbit him, reflecting his grace and radiance to the world, but we want to be the sun, not the moon in our lives. We want God to orbit around us.
Joe Coffey | Each January, we set a theme for the year as a church, focusing either on “breathing out” to forward God’s kingdom in the world, or “breathing in” to grow closer to God. This year, we’ll be doing the latter, as we all take the challenge to be transformed in 2018. The message of the Gospel is one of transformation, telling us we can know God personally, change radically and be used by God to change the world as a result. As Pastor Joe explains today, in 2018, we will focus on how we have been (and will be) transformed not by our own doing, but by the grace and guidance of God.