Great Lakes Church: Recent Episodes
Great Lakes Church
Based out of southeast Wisconsin, Great Lakes Church is a community of people helping people find and follow Jesus. Find out more at GreatLakesChurch.com
Pride might be the trickiest word ever. It’s a good thing to find satisfaction in our achievements. It’s good to be conscious of our own dignity and have some self-respect. But when we become proud it’s a problem. And according to the Scriptures, pride always goes badly. So…how do we take pride without being prideful? We choose hope over haughty.
Jesus signaled an end to one way of relating to God and the beginning of something entirely new. When you reduce church to its irreducible minimum, it is a group of people doing their best to follow Jesus—who came to clear the way to God.
Maybellene’s jingle taught us to wonder: Maybe she’s born with it. In a makeup company’s ad, it’s beauty that’s in question. But we wonder the same way when it comes to people we see as humble; as if their character is something that just happened. As followers of Jesus though, we know it’s not luck – it’s a decision that’s made. Humility doesn’t just happen.
Humility is so powerful. During a conflict, it catches us off guard and puts us off balance. We expect others to be defensive and push back. But humility absorbs. We can be tempted by a lot of things we shouldn’t give in to. But when we give into the temptation of humility, the world changes for the better.
Kids are a lot of things, but independent isn’t one of them. They need adults just to stay alive every day. It’s interesting though, how the older we get the more arrogant we become; thinking we don’t need anyone else. But we label it as being a self-sufficient, independent grown-up. Jesus never told anyone to grow up though. In fact, He did just the opposite.
Scientists have identified that the universe is an ever-expanding landscape of stars, planets, solar systems, and entire galaxies that we can't begin to quantify. In the midst of it? Us. Floating on one of the pale blue dots floating through space... So what's it all for? And do we matter as much as we think we do?
Join us for an Espresso Shot talk (a jolt of energy/encouragement outside of our standard talk series) from Doug LaBelle. Doug has been on staff at Great Lakes, served on our leadership teams, mentored countless marriages, and racked up over 40 years of pastoral experience.
This week, Doug is digging deep on MARRIAGE. And regardless of whether you've been married, his talk teaches us so much about faithfulness, sacrifice, commitment, and choosing holiness over happiness.
Join us for a service on any given Sunday at 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30a in KENOSHA! Learn more at www.Greatlakeschurch.com
Join us for a message from the "favorite uncle" of Great Lakes Church– Lawrence Kirby! As one of the lead pastors of OneVoice Church, Kirby brings an energetic spirit & convicting message as we continue our series on the book of James!
Join us as we wrap up "Do It Different" and we put a bow on how to choose genuine over grand when it comes to displaying our faith!
We’re always trying to find margin in our lives, aren’t we? We’re way too busy and stressed. But there are some areas in life, specifically in our faith, where margin might be a negative. And when it comes to people, we come to where Jesus would say it is.
Have you ever thought about this? Do you actually know what you look like? You’ve only ever seen you through a mirror, a recorded video or still photograph. In the end, that’s actually okay though – you’re not supposed to look like you anyway.
Christmas can be filled with wildly high expectations but it doesn’t have to be. And it doesn’t have to be a season of disappointment when those expectations aren’t met. In fact, those very things can make it awesome.
A Not So Hallmark Christmas, Week 1: Hallelujah Over Hallmark // Josh Petersen
There's a question you can ask yourself that will bring inescapable clarity to just about every relational decision you'll bump up against. But a word of warning: it's not for the faint of heart.
One good thing now... or two good things 10 minutes from now? When framed simply, the answer seems obvious. But when it comes to the crossroads, making the right choice can be much harder. win us as we explore the foundational FOURTH question in this series, which ultimately has fueled all the other questions we've explored so far.
It's not Jiminy Cricket or the voice of Morgan Freeman, but it is an internal compass that keeps us calibrated. When you're sitting in the middle of those stomach-churning, head-scratching, answer-seeking seasons- we have to be brave enough to lean INTO the uncomfortable, with the hope of a brighter outcome.
We tend to tell ourselves the stories we want to hear, like to hear, or may be most easy to hear. In any given situation, we will naturally seek the past of least resistance. But sometimes in order to move forward or truly face the music, we have to be deeply & unapologetically honest with ourselves. And as we move forward in our series of 5 great questions to help us at life's major crossroads, we find this one CANNOT be missed.
What if the most important question we could ask in our marriage was also one of the simplest? This week, our friend Sam Gazunis shares some simple truths that serve as guidelines for us to take the next step in loving those closest to us.
We all have a few of them in our lives: frenemies. They’re the people we kinda have to be nice to but don’t really like. And if we follow Jesus then it’s even more complicated because we’re supposed to love them. But it’s their fault, right? They’re dishonest. They’re selfish. They’re gossipy. If only they’d change, we might take the enemy out of frenemy and just be friends. That would be fair thinking, but what if they don’t change? Then what? You might have to.
If you've ever been a parent or had a parent, you know it's not easy. In fact, it's downright difficult. And despite the countless blogs, TikTok follows and books promising to make it better, no one has solved the mystery of how NOT to mess up your kids. Except for Jesus. Even though he wasn't a father of earthly children, he gave us an overarching principal that changes the game...but it's not easy...especially for the parents.
Too often people fall into the trap of thinking that following Jesus means the rest of life will be problem free. But Jesus never promised that. In fact, he said just the opposite. What he did promise though, was there would be meaning in the rest of your life – including the hard parts. He promised that the hard parts would be growth moments; trust-building moments. That doesn’t make the challenging chapters of life easier, but it does make them better.
Your parents have said it for years: "show me your friends, I'll show you the future." But what if that truth wasn't just for teenagers to hear? One of the most overlooked stories in the Bible shows us the power of a close friendship, a personal invite, and the overcoming of skepticism...and the ripple effects it had for millennia to follow.
So many people sign up for a religion or a church community because of what they believe it will do for them. To be sure, there’s plenty that it will bring to an individual’s life, but when it comes to following Jesus it becomes more about what we can do for others. Even when we don’t think we have a whole lot to offer, the little we do can be used for something amazing...something that will change us forever.
Most fitness blogs will tell you that abs aren’t made in the gym; they’re made in the kitchen. In other words, what you do when no one is watching makes all the difference. The same idea applies to growing our faith – there are things we need to practice without the pressure of an audience. Because God wants your most you.
We all have drawers full of "life-changing" household products we saw on TikTok but have yet to see said promised change in life from them. The scrub brush didn't make your tub shine when it arrived, did it? The secret that isn't often mentioned is that you have to actually use the thing. That's the only way it works. You have to apply it to your bathroom. Jesus' ideas and principles are very much the same... they have to be applied too in order to make a difference and change a life.
Most of us count down to the weekend with every day we get the kids ready for school, go to work and make the commute. We just want a break from the frantic pace. Starved to escape the busyness, we daydream about tropical vacations. But sometimes we walk away from those breaks unfulfilled; like something was missing. We’re not meant to go all day every day, but maybe we’re not meant to totally shut down either. Perhaps there’s something more to the idea of rest... something bigger.
Do you remember the last time you lost your phone? Odds are you were in a hurry to get something done or be somewhere by a certain time, so your search was a rushed one. After looking the whole house over a dozen times, you finally ask someone to help you find it and when they do, you exclaim, “I looked there five times! How did I miss it?” That’s what hurry and haste does everywhere in our lives – it causes us to miss things as we go. And usually those missed things are the best things...the God things.
The design for our lives was never to rush through it. We push speed limits, we sprint through conversations, and we often miss the fullness of what God truly had in mind for us because we're not slowing down long enough to see it. Maybe there's something to be said for ruthlessly eliminating hurry from our lives.
Jesus doesn't give us a list of obligations. Instead, he invites us to participate in this grand adventure of becoming more like Him and showing His hope to the world, with the hope of making things a little lighter and a whole lot more freeing.
Join us as we hear about the nature of the great adventure He'll take us on, shared by our Director of Student Ministry Development, Darryl Lawler.
Our world is more connected than ever. Cell phones & social media mean an endless wealth of people at our fingertips... but is this the way to true rest & growth? Together we explore the path to the TRUE connection we need, and we define what we can look for to ensure we're being fueled by the proper source.
Many of us come from broken homes. Sometimes that’s divorce, sometimes it’s worse but not as tangible. As a result, we sometimes feel like there’s a lid on our life because of our last name. Or maybe we feel like failures because our best efforts to do it differently have fallen short. We’re frustrated, embarrassed, nervous, stuck and exhausted. But we don’t need to keep striving; we’ve been given a free invitation to adoption and an entirely new bloodline. We can stop running. We can stop burying. We can step into the light all bumped, bruised and broken. He wants us. He likes us. He cherishes us.
Most of our adolescence is spent racing to get older – and to some degree, getting away from
Mom and Dad. Then as adults we will often continue the same pursuit. We want to become our
own person and blaze our own trail in the world. Normal? Yes. Sometimes resulting in mistakes
and regret because we ignored the past and failed to contextualize it today? Yes. So how do we
do it differently? How do we become the generation that presses into the future with all the
lessons from the generations before us?
Have you ever noticed that two people can go through the same experience and come out of it with different feelings about what happened? It happens all the time; including with family. Parents, siblings and even cousins can have almost opposite stories about the way things were growing up. The narrative is in the mind of the one telling the story. Who we come from is framed by who we are today.
A moment can change everything. One decision to be different, think different and move different can end a legacy or start a new one. That’s a good thing…sometimes a bad one. Either way, we have the ability to change the future and do it different.
Every so often we are asked why we don’t like a certain person, party or sports team. And often our answer is, “Because my dad doesn’t like them.” And he would likely say something along those lines for why he doesn’t like them. We’re spending parts of our lives angry aacznd bitter but don’t have to. If we choose to see others through a different lens, we might get to change the generations-long story.
From adolescence to adulthood, most of us can resonate with struggling to find our identity. As we grow and change, we wonder “where do I fit?” and “how does God want to use me?” Our church has asked a lot of those same questions– and over the course of 15 years we’ve been able to hone in on what kind of church we want to be in this community. We’re just getting started!
What do you do when your now isn't the now your later had in mind? Sometimes our best-laid plans fall apart and the situation in front of us will change where we're headed forever. How will you respond?
Why is it that every time we know where we’re going, how we’re going to get there and when we’re going to get there something gets in the way? Inconveniences. Hurdles. Roadblocks. We face these every single day with every single goal. And usually we spend a lot of energy trying to get around them, but what if we shouldn’t? What if there’s something to the “setback?” What if it’s not a setback at all? What if it’s a setup for something better later?
There are a lot of people just surviving in life. They’re making it through every day but not much more than that. The week is a list of checkboxes that they work through until the weekend. Truth be told, there are a lot of churches like that too. Just existing. But shouldn’t it be better than that? If there really is a creative God orchestrating all of this, there has to be a point…a purpose.
The number one reason most people have jobs is to make money. Without a job our rent, car note, grocery bill and our Starbucks addiction won’t get paid for. So most of us get up every morning and go to a job we hate, and maybe think is pointless, because it’s a necessity not a passion. And because of that, we’re often left feeling like our lives may not matter as much as others. But nothing could be further from the truth. In Jesus’ Kingdom everything matters…even your work.
Most people look at their phone 2,000 or more times per day. And most of what we find on it stresses us out, makes us feel insecure, or is just bad all together. Usually our reaction to something like that is to run away from it. But if there’s a way for us to make it better–to change it–shouldn’t we?
It’s hard to run the race of following Jesus when the reality is: we’ll never be good enough! But everything we need to know about running the race with endurance and keeping our eyes on Jesus can be found in an interaction between a guy named Simon and a prostitute.
Your truth, my truth, we all have a truth. But can they all be true? If all truth is relative then how do we actually know anything at all? Does your brain hurt yet? If there is such a thing as objective truth, then it means everything to everyone. And that’s… the truth.
We all grew up being told stories. Some were from bedtime books to help us fall asleep. Others were fables created to help us know good from bad. More often than not, these stories taught us to behave in a particular way and become good citizens as adults. When we grew up though, we learned those stories were just that: stories. We know now they’re not real and sometimes they’re not even ideal in the real world. Is the Bible any different? Why shouldn’t we just mature past it like all the other stories we were told? Because they’re not just stories.
Where did all of this come from? That’s a loaded question, right? You might talk to 100 people and get 100 different answers to that question. One of the trickiest parts to answering, “God made everything” is the follow-up question: how? What if that’s the wrong question though?
Not many people argue that Jesus didn’t exist, but there’s still a lot of debate about what difference he actually made. Did he make things better? What did he come for in the first place? Did his death and resurrection change things?
So much of what we’re told as kids is expected to be accepted. The problem is that as we become adults, we start to explore the expected and end up with more questions than answers. Generations have done just that with the resurrection of Jesus. Just like they did the day it happened, we’re all asking… is it real?
Romans 8:14-16
The Church is a family...
The story of the church begins with Jesus picking 12 followers and inviting them into family. He committed himself to them because Jesus understood that the greatest healing comes through relationships.
The biggest questions in life revolve around relationships, where do I belong? Who do I belong to? Where do I fit in?
Loving people is hard – especially with difficult people. We just don’t feel loving all the time. But if we’re going to be like Jesus, we have to figure out a way to love everyone always, not sometimes. And that’s the key: we can’t do what comes naturally… we’re gonna need something supernatural.
84% of Americans believe the current generation is more angry than the generation prior. After all, there seems to be more to be angry about than ever. How do we navigate a world where we’re a little less irritated all the time. And why should we?
Part of following Jesus means NOT doing some things. Even more, it means not BEING a few things. Jealous, boastful, rude and proud are a few of those things. Why? Because we should never be more about us than them.
Wild guess: the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word Christian, is not patience or kindness. But it should be and if we understand what it means to love people the way Jesus loves us, we’ll change it. God doesn’t just love… He is love.
How many Christians have you met in your life? And how many of them did you like? Odds are those individuals made you think twice about the God they claim to serve and love. That’s totally reasonable and fair. The truth is though, that Christians shouldn’t be defining Jesus… He should be defining them.
From the time we are really young, we are faced with the question of "what do you want to be when you grow up?". As children we think about this in terms of having a job that's fun or cool; but as adults, it's more common to connect that question to our identity and sense of purpose.
What if the answer to that question is easier than we might think, and found in the teachings of Jesus?
People spend so much time trying to figure out where to invest their money. The goal? Make a difference. Sometimes that’s a difference in our bank account, but there’s a bigger one if we’re willing to entrust it to a bigger God. May not be more money, but the impact lasts forever.
Sometimes getting alone is a good thing. But if that alone lasts too long, it starts to do just the opposite. Life is just not meant to be done alone – community is vital to thriving. It’s vital in following Jesus too.
Let’s say this out loud: It’s not easy to follow Jesus. And church’s have created all kinds of classes and programs to help us feel like we’re making at least a little progress. But we spend a lot of time frustrated. Good news: it’s not that complicated. Grab a towel, bend a knee and serve someone else.
Having a gym in your neighborhood doesn’t get you in shape. Sitting in the parking lot of the gym doesn’t either. You have to engage to see change. Church is kinda like that too.
We spend the better part of closing out a year and starting the next one thinking about what goals we should have for ourselves. Sometimes we even turn to God and ask what He thinks we should do. His answer? Maybe not what you expect.
It’s so easy for Christmas to become a countdown to some deadline — especially when we start thinking about it months ahead. There’s so much riding on one day, isn’t there? What if we turned that upside down and instead of a countdown, it was a build up? Because it’s in the anticipation that we discover what we need most… hope.
Our families have “stories” we either tell ourselves or have told about us. And when we watch the stories that are told on TV or in movies, it’s easy to feel like ours is less than a great family. But here’s the thing, Mary, Joseph and Jesus were anything but the traditional family. And if they can make Christmas great, we all can.
A 2,000 year-old story that’s been told to us every Christmas since birth can be difficult to get inspired by– but what if we zoomed out? A three-part phrase in scripture, often overlooked, is the one that might unlock a fresh perspective for all of us.
Many of us have very fond memories of Christmas when we were kids. It was a wonderful, magical, special time of year. Then we became adults and it felt like all that special went somewhere. Now it’s something different. Does it have to stay that way? Not at all. We just have to find when made it special in the first place.
Have you ever spent some time figuring out what something is actually for? You know, the things you have just accepted as is but never wrestled with what for? The church can be that something for so many. But what is its purpose? Why does it exist? What’s it all about? The answer is way better and bigger than you might imagine.
Church can be a very disappointing place – especially when you’re looking for one that meets your needs, wants and preferences. What if it was never meant to be something that’s consumed? What if instead it was something given to? That’s an entirely different equation. Perhaps an equation that would make a real difference in our lives and the world.
We all know the list of things you should never bring up at a dinner party. And at the top of this list is probably politics. Sometimes it seems like Christians have forgotten this – especially on social media. The problem isn’t that we talk about politics, it’s how we talk about them. Maybe if we focused more on that we’d realize they aren’t as tied to our faith as some might have us believe. Too many have walked away from church and faith because we’ve forgotten this.
Church is a loaded word for so many people. Maybe it brings up images of uncomfortable benches, stained glass windows and long, boring talks. Maybe it’s a strict set of beliefs you were forced to adhere to. Maybe it’s an organization you’ve intentionally kept at arm’s length. But what if we’ve been thinking of it all wrong? What if it’s not a building at all? Jesus said the church is people which means it’s more messy and meaningful to be part of one.
Sometimes we come up against hard stops in life and aren’t always sure what to do. Often we think we “just give up.” Other times we assume we’ll need to start over. Neither of those options are appealing. And we think this way with work setbacks, relationship tension, DIY projects and even our faith. Maybe especially our faith. Jesus invites us to something different though: starting again from where we’re at. In fact, THAT is the very start of our faith.
Grief can come from so many different things. It might be the loss of a loved one, a bad breakup, a canceled vacation, or big changes at church. Perhaps the hardest part of grief is moving on from it – it’s so easy to get stuck in. There is a time and place for it though because it’s often in these challenging seasons that God grows us most. So how do we make our way through grief in a healthy way that eventually we move past? We have to first understand what the grief is about and then check with God for where it’s going to take us.
We all have dreams for our lives. Some of those dreams have to do with romance. Others are more along the lines of finance, career or even vacation. When our future plans are jeopardized by our current circumstances, it’s hard to keep from becoming cynical and bitter. God’s dreams are bigger than our dreams though, and sometimes present defeats are setups for later victories.
Sadness can be one of the most lonely feelings in the world. But there is somewhere in that sorrow where God resides. If that’s true, it changes the meaning of the sadness all together. And it ensures we’re never actually alone in it. God is close.
Inevitably we face events in life that make us question if God understands, loves or cares about us. It could be the loss of a loved one, a job, a marriage or even changes at church. Those all feel like endings that leave more questions than answers. But what if the end of that thing is actually the beginning of another thing? Well that might change everything.
There are an estimated 380,000 churches in America today. And there are people in each of those that love their church and have a real hard time with the one down the street. It seems like Christians argue with other Christians more than anyone else. Is that what Jesus had in mind? Probably not.
Big Idea: The dilemma the church has struggled with throughout its history is figuring out who the church is for and who gets to be part of the faith community.
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The Church is a hospital for sinners, not a hotel for saints.
The Church exists for outsiders.
The local church moves forward by playing offense, not defense.
The responsibility of the Church is to make the message of God’s grace accessible to everyone.
Some Ways Great Lakes Church Puts “Rungs” on the Ladder:
Preparation
Manners
Sincerity
Humility
Scripture References:
Mark 2, verse 17
Acts 15, verses 5, 11, 19
1 Chroniciles 17, verse 16
Church #ChurchForAll #ComeAsYouAre #AllBelongHere #ChurchWithoutWalls
Big Idea: How does a church ensure it stays on mission year after year? Churches move forward by playing offense, not defense.
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The local church is the hope of the world.
Jesus loves the Church.
The local church moves forward by playing offense, not defense.
Three Traits of Churches that Play Offense:
Clarity (they know who they are and what they’re trying to accomplish)
Care for the poor
Advocate for the overlooked
Equip healthy marriages
Prepare the next generation
Start new churches
Courage (they have the desire to try new things)
Change (they are willing to pivot)
Scripture References:
Matthew 5, verses 13-16
Matthew 16, verse 18
2 Samuel 23, verse 20
Courage #Risk #Offense
Some things in life are impossible to do by ourselves. Having peace of mind is one of them. Just search Amazon and you'll find thousands of things that you need to buy in order to attain that sense of peace we're all looking for. And yet, none of them seem to deliver. So maybe we're looking in the wrong place...
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What in the world are we actually talking about when we're talking about prayer? Talk to 100 different people and you’re likely to get 100 different answers. We’ve made it pretty complicated and it was never supposed to be. Just ask Jesus.
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Worry and anxiety seem to be a way of life for most people. We’re all chasing peace, trying to catch it to no avail. So maybe we’re looking in the wrong places. Interestingly, Jesus said the best place to look is with the birds.
Big Idea: Playing it safe is risky. Often, the path to what’s next or what’s best leads directly through what you fear the most.
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A Few Fears We Tend to Avoid Talking About:
Fear of rejection
Fear of failure
Fear of a weakness being exposed
Fear is part of the landscape of life and it’s never going away.
Common Responses to Fear:
Fight
Flight
Freeze
Courage is the willingness to act in spite of fear.
Scripture References:
Joshua 1, verse 9
Psalm 121
John 15, verse 26
Isaiah 41, verse 10
Courage #CourageOverFear #GodIsWithMe
Big Idea: Undesired and difficult life transitions provide a unique opportunity to encounter God’s goodness, provision, hope, and guidance!
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Lessons We Can Learn from Difficult Seasons:
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The deserts of life are fertile ground for complaints.
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The deserts of life are fertile ground for emotional breakdown.
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The deserts of life are fertile ground for God’s provision.
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The deserts of life are fertile ground for transformation and growth.
Scripture References:
Exodus 3, verses 7-10
Numbers 11, verses 4-6; 11-15; 17; 23
Psalm 147, verse 5
Endurance #SurvivingTheDesert #Perseverance #GodProvides #Transformation
As the runway of life begins to run out, everyone starts to ponder this question...What am I going to leave behind? The legacy we leave is either going to be intentional or unintentional.
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Leaving a Legacy That Matters
Big Idea: We need to learn how to recognize the miracles in our life, regardless of how big or small, so that we can share the stories of God’s greatness with others.
How to Leave a Legacy
Recognize the miracles in your life
Share your stories with others
Scripture References:
Joshua 4, verses 1-3
Joshua 4, verses 20-24
LeaveYourMark #LegacyLeaver #GodDoesMiracles #MiraclesHappen
Small acts of obedience to God can lead to a big difference in your life!
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Developing a Faith that Works
Big Idea: The kind of faith that pleases God is the kind of faith that keeps taking the next step of obedience.
Characteristics of God-Pleasing Faith:
The faith that pleases God sees a wall from God’s perspective, not ours.
The faith that pleases God speaks His promises as if they already happened.
The faith that pleases God puts its confidence in what God has said over what we see.
The faith that pleases God follows God’s plan, not our preferences.
The faith that pleases God may be demonstrated in ways others think is ridiculous.
The faith that pleases God keeps walking even when the walking doesn’t seem to be working.
Scripture References:
Hebrews 11, verses 6 & 30
Joshua 4, verses 2-3
Joshua 6, verses 1-16
God never wastes a hurt. He is able to use our stresses, struggles, and suffering to do something both in us and through us.
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Lessons from Suffering:
Big Idea: Followers of Jesus learn to patiently ENDURE.
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let is grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4
- When something bad is happening TO YOU, something good can be happening IN YOU.
Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad – for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 1 Peter 4:12-13
- Growth often follows a new PERSPECTIVE.
God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! Matthew 5:11-12
- An eternal perspective produces ENDURANCE.
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed IN US. Romans 8:18
As long as you think someone owes you something, your life will be all about keeping score. How do you prevent your relationships from devolving into transactions and negotiations?
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In a world where social media, online relationships, and relentless self-absorption threaten the very idea of deep and lasting friendships, it's possible to be the kind of friend that the people around you need!
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Typically, we call the famous parable by Jesus “The Prodigal Son,” but that title is actually a bit misleading. The point of the story is not the younger (Prodigal) son’s recklessly extravagant living. Instead, it’s about God’s recklessly extravagant love.
Never underestimate the profound impact your personal narrative can have on the lives of others. Your story possesses the incredible potential to ignite hope, offer solace, and provide a glimpse into the grace of Jesus Christ. Whether it encompasses your victories or defeats, God can use your unique story to impact the lives of others.
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God speaks to us in lots of different ways. Our responsibility is to figure out how to turn down the volume of all the other voices speaking to us so we can hear God's voice more clearly.
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You may be facing challenging circumstances, intense pain, crushing disappointment, or silent regrets. But you don't have to fold. You don't have to resign yourself to defeat. The God of this world is bigger than you can imagine. His grace, mercy, love, strength, and compassion have no limits.
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Many of us start out in life hopeful and optimistic, but as we transition from adolescence into adulthood we experience things that leave us shocked or hurt. Gradually, if we don’t guard our hearts, we will find ourselves becoming jaded and disillusioned.
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We’ve all heard the adage that actions speak louder than words. But the words we’ve heard have shaped us and the words we speak have the power to shape others.
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Personal finances are often considered a taboo topic to discuss. They’re private, personal, and might even be embarrassing. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Money is a powerful tool that can be used to honor God and lead to financial freedom in your life.
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Most people want their lives to count, but it's easy to become impatient with the slow pace at which a life of significance is built. Taking small persistent steps forward is often mundane and boring, but it can lead to tremendous and lasting results.
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People ultimately weren’t convinced to follow Jesus because of what he taught. They became convinced because of what they saw. The resurrection of Jesus validated who he claimed to be and what he came to accomplish. It also explains how a small first century sect, in a relatively unknown part of the world, grew to become the largest movement in the history of planet earth!
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It’s so easy to forget what the Christian faith is all about. We struggle so much, work so hard, and fail so often that we frequently sense something in the equation of life must be missing. What's missing is a full and powerful understanding of the cross and what the crucifixion of Jesus really means.
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It's not just kids who need to have discernment when choosing friends. Adults do too! Why? Because our friends determine the direction and quality of our life.
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We all want to be successful. After all, experiencing success is better than not experiencing success. But what does success look like? And how do we know if we’re achieving it in the important areas of life?
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Every decision has a price tag. It will cost you time, money, reputation, talents, or resources. Don’t trap yourself by making decisions without thinking of how those choices will impact your future.
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Today may be the enemy of your tomorrow. Choosing to end whatever season you’re in is the only way to ever move into the next season!
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If you want to experience something better or different than your current reality, it begins with vision.
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The storms of life vary by type, duration, and magnitude. Whether or not we’re left standing after the storm is often determined by what we do ahead of time to prepare.
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Nothing ever stays the same. Sometimes it happens in an instant, other times is barely noticeable, but everything changes. Feelings, work, finances, relationships, culture, priorities all change and how we respond to those challenges makes all the difference about where we end up in life.
Moms and dads dream of a future where their kids become adults and still want to come home regularly to visit. As parents, there is something we can do to lay the foundation of that dream becoming a reality.
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If you want to make a difference, you don't have to overthink or overcomplicate it. Showing value to people is a simple as learning to listen and sharing a meal.
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Prayer isn’t intended to be a magic wand that results in all of our dreams coming true. Instead, it’s meant to be a pause button that refocuses us and helps us live with intentionality as we look for ways to BLESS others.
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Forget about the memorized script or high-pressured sales pitch… you can talk about your faith in a natural way, without being offensive, inappropriate, or insensitive.
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Often we view peace as the absence of tension, but the peace found in Jesus brings a sense of wholeness and completeness to broken people and circumstances.
Jesus is a Father who provides all of the love, security, wisdom, and compassion we will ever need.
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He's a God who holds all power, but He's not a control freak. The way he uses His power makes Him different from every other CEO, world leader, or celebrity
Christmas @ Great Lakes Church, Part 2
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When making decisions and navigating the challenges of life, Jesus doesn’t tell us exactly what to to think in every situation, but he does provide us with a framework for how to think.
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As the world grows more connected, our neighbors are closer than ever. You might not share a fence, but you can still share their burdens and joys.
Expressing gratitude may seem like a small thing. But the person you are becoming is largely determined by the repetition of small things. The practice of offering thanks cultivates your heart and mind one day at a time.
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Knowing who you are will give you the confidence you need to stand strong and go the distance!
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The biggest threat to followers of Jesus is teaching that distorts the good news of Jesus by focusing more on us than Him.
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It’s easy for a person's faith to become weak in times of stress or difficulty. Because of this, the disciple Peter gives his readers some words of caution to safeguard themselves from being misled.
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Your character, more than anything else, will determine your level of influence with others. Learning how to respond to volatile people and situations is more important than your talent, your education, your background, or your network of friends.
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The word “sin” and the label “sinner” are uncomfortable. It’s easier to admit we make mistakes, but we do things that the word “mistake” doesn’t adequately describe. So what do we do about sin and why does it feel like we’re never totally free from it?
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Jesus promises eternal life to those who follow him. This isn’t simply a promise of a better life someday in the future, but rather something that can be experienced right now! It seems like a no brainer, but in reality following Jesus can be inconvenient, costly, and even embarrassing.
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The difficulties in our life don’t have to destroy us. As a matter of fact, they have the power to strengthen, grow, and mature us if we stay the course!
While we don't always choose our circumstances, we do have the ability to choose our responses. It’s important to remember that there is more to our circumstances than meets the eye. Our current circumstances are a chapter. They are not the full story.
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“…but with God everything is possible.” -Matthew 19:26 “…but God raised him from the dead!” -Acts 13:30 “…but it was God who made it grow.” -1 Corinthians 3:6 To the left of ‘But God’ is hopelessness, darkness, and death. But to the right of “But God,’ we are able to find hope, light, and life.
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For 2,000 years, Jesus has been using all types of churches, with all types of strategies, to build HIS CHURCH (the global church) around the world.
Great Lakes Church uses a show and tell strategy to saturate our homes, neighborhoods, and communities with the good news of Jesus!
It’s easy to make a point. All we need to do is shout loudly, hold signs, and launch campaigns...but the responsibility of the church isn’t to make a point.
The church's responsibility is to make a difference– which requires humility, love, patience, sacrifice, and generosity.
The Church Jesus launched was never intended to be a club, motivational seminar, or refuge for religious people. Instead, it was intended to be a place of hope, healing, grace, and community.
Jesus never promised to protect us from a pain-free or problem-free life, but he did promise to be with us in the midst of our pain and problems.
The message Jesus proclaimed frees us from the endless cycle of feeling like a failure for not doing what we know we’re supposed to be doing. It’s a message that stands in direct opposition to religion!
What is God really like? Is God angry, violent, and retributive? If we want to believe that, we can read the Bible in a way that supports this. But what if God is like Jesus? What if God is fully revealed in the life and death of Jesus Christ? Wouldn’t that be good news? Well, that is the good news!
What is God really like? Is God angry, violent, and retributive? If we want to believe that, we can read the Bible in a way that supports this. But what if God is like Jesus? What if God is fully revealed in the life and death of Jesus Christ? Wouldn’t that be good news? Well, that is the good news!
When Jesus says that He is the Light of the world, He is not just contrasting light and darkness. He is illustrating just how different He is from all the other sources we look to for lighting up our path and guiding us.
Mercy is a gift. It is undeserved. When punishment and consequences are expected, the merciful person responds in an unpredictable way. Everything we read about Jesus is saturated with mercy. When we choose to respond to Jesus’ invitation to be people of mercy, we bring peace, healing and reconciliation everywhere we go.
The Good Shepherd is a title Jesus gives to himself. Unlike shepherds who are simply trying to earn a paycheck, Jesus is fully committed to knowing, leading, caring for, and protecting his sheep at all costs. The implications of this is more than anyone could possibly imagine!
There are few things as divisive as politics. Thankfully, Jesus didn't call everyone to agree on everything, but he did command his followers to be united by unconditional love. The big question is, “Do you even want to love the people you disagree with politically?”
The name of the documentary Pastor Dave showed today is “Perfect Valor,” narrated by Fred Dalton Thompson.
Not In It To Win It (Andy Stanley) https://www.amazon.com/Not-Win-Andy-Stanley/dp/0310138922
One of mankind's most common captors is also one of the most discreet. It doesn't take hold overnight, nor is it easy to recognize in ourselves. With awareness & the hope that Jesus offers, we can control our pride rather than letting it dictate the direction of our lives!
Most of us agree that worry has very few benefits– but it’s a universal experience that negatively impacts both our health and relationships.
When Jesus taught about worry, He revealed both the source and solution so we don't have to be imprisoned by it.
It's hard to feel like we've missed the mark or let someone down. Destructive thought spirals can make us feel like we're trapped in a cage that we'll never escape from. But what if the moments we felt the least worthy were actually the perfect chance to start from scratch?
Every day we are confronted with lies that, when we believe them, have the power to damage our emotional, relational, or mental health. The only way to really combat deception is to discover the truth that Jesus says has the power to set us free!
If we're honest, much of our time on earth is geared towards cracking the code to a happy or "good" life. Often this results in bondage to expectations & discontentment, when in reality, Jesus' most famous talk gives us the precise keys we need to live in freedom.
The resurrection of Jesus isn't just another Bible story. It is the story! Without the resurrection, no one would have bothered to document the story of Jesus. So what is the story of Jesus? It’s God extending unbelievable and unexplainable grace to a world that definitely doesn't deserve it.
When we’re under pressure, our natural biases start to rise, and we tend to be less tolerant of differences and more prejudice toward others. If you want to be part of a healthy community it takes effort and intentionality.
Anger may be the most misunderstood and mismanaged emotion. Everyone experiences anger, but very few people know how to express their anger in a healthy or productive way.
The pressure in our lives makes us more aware of our need for God, but it also makes us more susceptible to temptation. When we find ourselves baited to the line of destructive behavior, it's important to know what it takes to remain strong.
Life's trials can come at us from all directions, often at the same time. When you start feeling the pressure, having the right perspective and proper tools will help you keep going!
For many, the notion of being blessed means we’ve reached a desired outcome, or experiencing a season of comfort in life. But what if being blessed has more to do with the posture of our heart, rather than the position of our lifestyle? We might very well discover God’s blessing to mean the experience of deep joy and contentment in all of life’s seasons and circumstances.
Every blessing in your life is intended to be shared and to help others flourish. The opportunities you have to bless people is a blessing, in and of itself, for reasons you’ve probably never thought of.
Blessings aren't just sheer luck or the highlight reels we share on social media. Often the biggest blessings of life are found in the darkest moments and most challenging seasons.
Cleaning up messes, getting in heated arguments, and consoling heartaches can leave us feeling like we're making zero progress. A big part of parenting begins with understanding our kids' wiring, and learning how to communicate with them effectively!
Most times the deep discontentment in our relationships won't be satisfied by winning an argument or being "right." The real way to reconciliation & effective communication comes with pause, curiosity, and a willingness to surrender.
We're speaking more than ever before, and thinking less about our words than ever before. This should set off alarms in us, because the words we speak which are intended to be helpful, can end up being harmful if spoken in careless ways.
satisfaction they were looking for. Our happiness hinges on an habit that is almost always overlooked, but has the potential to impact every area of our life.
Want to better understand the four temperaments? Download the app to get started. For iOS: https://apple.co/3IfXNKz For Google: https://bit.ly/3FmggmJ
Grab your friends and family, some hot cocoa, and a warm blanket as we celebrate the birth of King Jesus.
Merry Christmas from Great Lakes Church!
The anticipation of Christmas often comes with the excitement of what we'll receive under the tree. However, true joy is found in something else.
Moments of peace are incredibly valuable. When we find them, we hold on tight and pray they last. But there's a peace that goes beyond our understanding—beyond the pain and fear we face today. Discover what it looks like and how to find it.
Swallowing a watermelon seed will make a watermelon grow in your stomach! The sliding automatic door at Wal-Mart only opened because you used The Force! You know, when we're kids, we tend to believe some pretty ridiculous things. As we grow up, we're given context to understand the truth of some of those misconceptions. The same is true of our journey with Jesus. As we grow in following Him, He'll begin to help us better understand the truth of who He is. Join us as pastor Rex shares five things he no longer believes about Jesus...
For many people, the stories surrounding Jesus' birth are so familiar that it's easy to miss the subtle messages they convey. When we zoom out for context, we start to understand why even the parts that feel boring or irrelevant, like Jesus' lineage, are wildly important.
Life is filled with challenging moments and seasons that leave us feeling scattered, confused, and disoriented. Creating healthy routines can grow us exponentially and strengthen us for the storms we encounter.
Most of us know that following Jesus is all about loving Him and loving the people He's made. But because we're all broken, it can be extremely difficult to know how to love well, especially when having hard conversations. Together we'll explore some practical ways the bible teaches us to integrate skills & grow in our emotional maturity.
It's easy to become a victim of a jam-packed schedule. Between work, parenthood, social obligations, side hustles, exercise, and the many other forms of chaos, we can find ourselves burned out and stressed out. Establishing healthy rhythms in our lives is vital for our emotional and spiritual health!
Broken dreams, shattered expectations, and the losses of life need to be grieved. If we process our grief appropriately, we’ll grow in our emotional health and spiritual maturity, too.
In our journey of being human, we're inevitably going to experience moments and/or seasons of intense pain and difficulty. When we run into the walls of life we have three options of how to respond. The choice we make determines who we become.
Though it may seem counterintuitive, in order to move forward, we must first go backwards. With awareness and intention, we can break patterns and change the trajectory of our family legacy forever!
People who are self-aware and know themselves are confident, focused, and have a greater ability to resist temptation!
There’s so much more to our story than what people can see. Like icebergs, most of who we are lives under the surface (joys, griefs, losses, dreams, etc.). Slowing down to consider our stories is a big step towards spiritual health and maturity.
There’s a lot of uncertainty everywhere you look, but the future of the church has never been in question! Join us as we cast vision for the next season and take action in building a community we're all proud to be a part of.
The Church has been rocked with scandal, betrayal, disagreements, and fighting for 2,000 years. It’s filled with hypocrites and individuals struggling to live out their faith. And yet, when flawed people are empowered by the Holy Spirit, anything is possible!
When Great Lakes Church launched in 2009, there were already a couple-hundred churches in southeast Wisconsin. With all the time, energy, and resources that go into starting a church, it doesn’t make sense to start another one...or does it?!
Thinking about all the complexities of prayer can be intimidating. What should I say to God? How long should I pray for? How can I pray a prayer that actually gets a response? The answers to these questions can be found in Jesus' model for prayer.
On average, we speak roughly 16,000 words per day! When we choose to be generous with words of encouragement, hope, and positivity, we are shaping the future of people's lives.
Bankruptcy… foreclosures… scams… and never-ending appeals for money can lead to PTSD on the topic of finances. But financially successful people aren’t driven by guilt, manipulation, or past mistakes. They’ve learned a better way to WIN with finances and live outrageously generous lives.
We truly believe it's okay to not be okay. Whether diagnosed or undiagnosed, keeping ourselves mentally healthy is vital, and we can do so by preparing for these battles ahead of time!
It's hard to know what to say when someone undergoes a substantial loss. We grapple for words to make a loved one's pain vanish instantaneously, but often end up feeling helpless. Thankfully, we can turn to the bible for some principles on how to respond effectively in others' seasons of grief.
"Cancel Culture" can feel inescapable. You know the pattern: Someone does or says something offensive. There's a public backlash. Then the pressure grows to "destroy" the person. In this talk, we're addressing what it means to be Christ's ambassadors whenever we personally are offended by someone.
In our culture, we are bombarded with too much of everything. The result is stress and exhaustion. Join us as we look at what followers of Jesus have done throughout history, whenever they realized they were in over their heads.
Our cultural climate and social norms are always changing, which can make it hard to know how to practically follow Jesus as Americans. This week, we’ll unpack how followers of Jesus should approach their freedoms to make a lasting difference in this world!
We've all experienced the death of a dream, and the grief often leaves devastation in the wake. Whether waving goodbye to that promotion, parenthood, or perfect relationship, our disheartenment can often make us cynical or skeptical of what's ahead. This week, we'll unpack why dreams matter and how we can reengage them.
We’ve all experienced tension or disunity in our relationships; it’s inevitable! But instead of avoiding conflict because of discomfort, it can actually be a tool for relationship growth!
Raising another human being is the most challenging assignment a parent has. So what's the secret to great parenting?
As humans, we find ourselves on a never-ending quest for happiness– but it always seems to elude us. Believe it or not, it's possible to find lasting happiness, but we have to start by looking in the right places.
There's over 400 references to doors in the Bible: open doors, closed doors, gateways to opportunity, and more. As we follow the Jesus way, it's important we get acquainted with doors and understand how God uses them to speak to us!
God speaks to us through Scripture, prayer, music, open/closed doors, and even through people.
Today we’re looking at an often misunderstood, abused, and complicated word: “prophecy.”
When someone prophesies, it means they felt prompted by God to say something to someone, and their words end up bringing strength, encouragement, or comfort at just the right time (1 Corinthians 14:3).
Prayer is more than wishful thinking or hoping that things will work out. This week, we're looking at why prayer should become a first priority and not a last resort!
Throughout history, many people have claimed that God spoke to them through the Scriptures. What does that mean? What does the voice of God sound like? Does God speak through every verse or just a select few? We've got some tools to help make sense of the Bible!
If it’s hard for you to hear, recognize, or decipher the voice of God, you are not alone! We all wish it was a lot easier. So why is it so challenging, and what are some practical tools for filtering our voice and/or the voice of others from God's voice?
God is good. But is He, really? If He is, why do people get cancer, lose their jobs, or go through divorce? If God is good, how do we make sense of everything that seems so wrong? Join us today as we search for the answer.
You probably know the storybook version of Easter: Jesus was crucified on a cross, He was buried in a tomb, and He rose from the dead. This year we're asking why Jesus' death on a cross and the plot twist that followed actually gave credibility to this radical movement He'd started.
The Cross has become a dominant representation of Christian culture. You can find cross necklaces, tattoos, and paintings in so many parts of our world. Why does the cross matter so much? Did Jesus really have to die?
Wherever you find yourself on the journey of following Jesus, it's probably safe to say you've been discouraged at some point. When prayers go unanswered, hope seems far away, and growth is happening slowly, it can seem like the easiest option would be to throw in the towel. Join us today as we explore some practical ways to persevere in the midst.
We're all drawn to the idea of freedom: eating what we want, spending time with who we want, and living how we want. However, often when we live for ourselves, we find all of the things that once brought us joy end up leaving us empty, lonely, and addicted. So how do we find TRUE freedom that doesn't leave us burned out?
In our world, it can be a challenge to know how to see ourselves. We're constantly comparing ourselves to those around us, unsure of where we rank in the social lineup. But when we surrender our self-perception to Jesus, there's more freedom than we could ever imagine.
Many of us live under the illusion that surrender is a bad thing, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes giving something up is necessary to experience something better. That’s what following Jesus is all about.
With the ongoing tension and heartache in our world, it's almost human nature to fall into patterns of negative or toxic thinking. But instead of settling for pessimism, we can find hope through a few simple truths!
When it comes to responding to life’s circumstances, our attitude matters. This week, we’ll explore how finding freedom, hope, and healing often starts with a simple shift in perspective.
Some decisions are easy, like deciding between name brand cereal or the generic. Other times, we're presented with significant decisions that cause a great tension in us. Together, we'll examine how to choose outcomes that lead to freedom, hope, and healing.
Every decision we make has implications which contribute to our life story. If your story hasn't turned out like you imagined or hoped, it's not too late to start writing a different story!
We know life can sometimes feel like a series of dead ends. In these moments, it’s crucial to remember that there is a way out! Join us as we explore how the decisions we make today have lasting impact on the trajectory and quality of our lives.
What are you holding on to that’s holding you back? Could 2021 be the year you finally let it go to unearth newfound peace, joy, hope, and freedom? Find out in our new series, Your Best Year Yet.
Gather your loved ones, grab a cup of cocoa, and find a cozy place to settle in as we join together for this special online Christmas Eve experience. Today, we’re reminding ourselves that even 2 millenniums after His arrival, Jesus’ birth continues to be GOOD NEWS that brings great joy!
Did you know that happiness and joy aren’t the same thing? When angels announced that Jesus was coming, they shared “good news that will bring great JOY to all people!” What is joy and how can we find it even in a year like 2020?
Unexpected loss, financial hardship, relationship troubles, and more can cause us to feel that God is far from us. So when those times come, how do we respond?
As Christmas inches closer, our lives can quickly spiral into holiday chaos. It’s easy to be entirely consumed by last-minute Christmas shopping and decorating our houses like the Griswold family, but this year more than ever it’s important that we focus on the hope, joy, peace, and love that is found in the GOOD NEWS of Jesus’ birth.
As we conclude our FOR series, we turn to the life of Daniel. In the midst of one of the most trying times in the history of Israel, Daniel lived a life jam-packed with hope, humility, wisdom, and faithfulness. Join us as we explore this incredible story!
One of the best ways we can show people we are FOR them is by living open-handed. Today we’re talking about how we intend to use our time, energy, and resources, in the coming year, to foster hope hear, near, and far.
Our culture is obsessed with transformation. From flipping houses to posting before/after pictures on Instagram, we love celebrating remarkable change. And yet, so many of us are caught in tireless cycles of monotony, craving a transformation that truly lasts. So how do we find it? It’s a lot simpler than you might think. Join us as we find out how to be FOR transformation.
Although Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood made loving your neighbors seem easy, the truth is, it usually takes work. Loving your neighbors and being FOR them means we have to go out of our way to start conversations, serve, and love them even when it costs something! Join as we look at some practical steps we can take in showing the people in our neighborhood that we are FOR them.
There’s something in every one of our lives that’s broken. Whether it’s a struggle with pride, lack of hope, life-threatening illness, or a fracture in our marriage, we would all love to see that brokenness made whole. Whether you call it healing, deliverance, or restoration, we want to be people who believe that healing can and does happen! Join us this week as we dig deeper.
2020 has been a doozy. A pandemic and an election cycle have rendered us exhausted, and it seems not even a 4-0 Packers winning streak can do much to lift our spirits. When the circumstances are dire, what’s the first step in being people who are FOR hope? We’re glad you asked! Join us here for week 3 of our FOR series.
Every day, our world seems more and more divided. Whether it comes to politics, social issues, or even simple preferences, finding unity can be hard. Now more than ever, it’s imperative that we pause and reflect on what it’s going to take to build bridges, promote peace, and grow a diverse circle of friends.
On social media, public forums, and even in TV and movies, it seems our culture is quick to tell you all the things they’re AGAINST. But what would happen if we were FOR our community, FOR unity, FOR transformation, and more? Join us this week as we kick off our new series and find out how living a life FOR other people can positively shift the tides of our culture.
When first-time guests walk through the doors of Great Lakes Church, they rarely make note of Pastor Dave’s talk or the Songs we’ve chosen to sing. More than anything, they notice how warm, heartfelt, and welcoming our community is. The last few weeks, we’ve been exploring how Great Lakes Church isn’t an exclusive social club; rather it’s a community of people helping people find and follow Jesus. Join us this week as we conclude our “I Love My Church” series and ask ourselves what it looks like to take the next step in loving the people around us.
Would you take your friend seriously if they told you that they LOVED the DMV? Probably not, right? What if they told you that they LOVED their church? In week 2 of “I Love My Church,” we’re continuing to explore how we live out our mission statement of being people that help people find and follow Jesus. Putting it simply, we believe it’s imperative to build bridges, not walls, and that maturing is better than just maintaining. Join us as we continue to unpack the DNA of Great Lakes Church.
Most people don't have a problem with God. After all, plenty of people show up for church on Christmas and Easter. Unfortunately, people do have a problem with the church. For centuries Christians have made Christianity so complex that people simply write it off as irrelevant and confusing. Join us for this new series as we talk about why we started Great Lakes Church and what it takes to continue making the message of God's grace accessible to everyone!
Psalm 23 is one of the most quoted passages in all of scripture, but it’s so much more than a poem that resides on cross-stitched pillows and entryway signage in your parents’ house. If we look closely, the scripture helps us understand why we often find ourselves lost, tired, and anxious. It also gives us guidance for how to stop feeling that way. Join us for the final week of our Mix Tape series.
Have you ever wished that your life was different? Wished that you had chosen a different college, made more money, raised your kids better, or acquired more status? You’re not alone in those feelings. In fact, King David wrestled with them, too. How did he find contentment in the midst? Join us this week as we dig into Psalms 103 for the answer!
We’ll cut to the chase– reading the Bible is hard. It’s a collection of 66 books, written by at least 40 different authors over the course of 1,500 years. Besides some interesting stories and moral truths, why is the Bible such a big deal? We’re so glad you asked. Join us as we tackle this topic head on.
From the moment we were born, we’ve been accustomed to living in a tension of fear. Whether being told to wait 30 minutes after eating to avoid drowning or convincing ourselves that we’d never be able to land our dream job, fear always seems to have an influence on us. There’s no way to eliminate fear, but there is a bold response which each and every one of us can step into. Join us this week as we learn how to confront fear.
With nearly 8-billion people roaming the earth, we tend to feel like we’ve been lost in the crowd. How can God pay us any attention when there are so many other people with their own dilemmas? Join us this week as we continue our Mix Tape series and look at how King David answers this question.
It’s easy to answer questions like “where are you from?” And “what do you do for a living?” However, facing the question of “who are you?” can freeze us in our tracks. If we don’t make it a priority to find our identity in the right things, we’ll constantly be misguided in our relationships, our career choices, and even our understanding of who God is. Join us as we crack open the Psalms to find the answer to the question “Who am I?”
If you’ve ever stepped foot into a church or done a quick Google search on Christianity, you’ve likely encountered an enigmatic S-word: “sin.” Sure, we all have a general understanding of what sin is, but if it’s such an archaic concept, why should we care about it today? We’re so glad you asked. Join us as we look to historical figures and heartfelt stories to better understand this three-letter S-word.
In this series, we're revisiting those Biblical greatest hits, Psalms. Today, we're guided by Psalm 73:28, which says:
But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
We're talking about the importance of counting your blessings as a means to control envy.
In this series, we're revisiting those Biblical greatest hits, Psalms. Today, we're guided by Psalm 1, which starts like this:
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
Blessed means happy, and we're talking about how the choices that we make can determine our happiness.
In this series, we're revisiting those Biblical greatest hits, Psalms. Today, we're guided by Psalm 121, a song sung during by pilgrims on their journeys. It says,
I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!
Journeys of all kinds can be frightening; where do you look when you are afraid?
In mix tape, we're revisiting those Biblical greatest hits, Psalms. In week two, we're guided by Psalm 118:24, which says,
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
And, we're taking about how to be glad and see opportunity, even when the coronavirus and other troubles surround us.
Looking around right now, we can all tell that something’s broken. The heated conversations, the protests, the rioting, the polarization that’s happening among different groups of people; it tells us something is wrong and that people are hurting.
Today, we’re NOT hopping on our soap box with megaphones to tell you what to think. Instead, we’re engaging in the conversation. Wherever you are in your journey, we ask you to join us in considering hard questions and new perspectives with us. After all, this journey’s a whole lot better if we go together.
One way or another, COVID-19 has us all under pressure. In the last week of this series, we're talking about mental health. If you are struggling with mental health, please know this: you are not alone and you can get through this.
One way or another, COVID-19 has us all under pressure. In the third week of this series, we're talking about loneliness. We've all experienced it, and for some of us, social distancing has made it a crisis.
One way or another, COVID-19 has us all under pressure. In the second week of this series, we're talking about marriage, being homebound together, and the question that many of us have asked ourselves at some point in the past two months: Why did I get married in the first place?
One way or another, COVID-19 has us all under pressure. In the first week of this series, we're talking about how being homebound affects us as parents and how we can ensure our children come out of this OK.
In his most famous talk, known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus answered one of his followers' most pressing questions: Who will inherit the Kingdom of God? Or, put another way: What blessings can I/we expect in the kingdom? The answer was not what they expected.
Good leaders -- including presidents and kings -- try to make life better for their people. In Week 3 of this series, we look at how Jesus improved life for his followers. One way is comforting "those who mourn." Whether you are struggling with sickness, job loss or furloughs, it is possible to find happiness in the Kingdom of God.
It sounds good when we say, "Jesus is King," but what do we really mean by that? And if Jesus is king, where is his kingdom? In Week 2 of this series, we talk about the Kingdom of God and what it means when we pray, "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
If you ask 10 people who Jesus is, you may get 10 different answers, including "teacher," "wise man," "prophet" or even "fictional character." In Week 1 of this series, we look at the resurrection, what it says about who Jesus really is, and most importantly, why it matters.
How do you know someone is a Christian? John 13:35 says, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” In Week 7 of this series, we talk about how Jesus showed great love for us by dying on the cross.
How do you know someone is a Christian? John 13:35 says, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” In Week 6 of this series, we talk about the way Christian love never gives up — even during the coronavirus pandemic. Having confidence that God will bring something good out of every bad situation allows us to be grateful for what we have and motivates us to help those in need.
How do you know someone is a Christian? John 13:35 says, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” In Week 5 of this series, we talk about loving our community, including praying for our leaders and first responders, supporting institutions like our schools and serving those in need. What’s one practical action that you can take this week to be a blessing for your community?
How do you know someone is a Christian? John 13:35 says, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” In Week 4 of this series, we talk about the fact that love is hopeful. How can we encourage others and give them hope, even in hard times?
How do you know someone is a Christian? John 13:35 says, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” In Week 3 of this series, we talk about showing love by respecting others. That includes how we talk about others, how we treat them and how we listen to them.
How do you know someone is a Christian? John 13:35 says, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” In Week 2 of this series, we talk about showing love by encouraging others. How do you experience God’s presence when life is difficult? And how can you be a positive presence (even virtually) for others right now?
How do you know someone is a Christian? John 13:35 says, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” In Week 1 of this series, we talk about Jesus’ command to love others and what that means to us today.
This week, we're unpacking some of the secrets of how we can win more in our lives– and that includes with our family! Pastor Andy Stanley of North Point Church tackles this message in a sermon which you can watch here!
This week we return to our core idea that a dysfunctional family is a family with more than one person in it, but this time we're addressing it through the lens of parenting! Even pastor Dave has a few stories about the tension that comes with raising kids. With enough diligence and boundless love, we can't control the way our kids turn out, but we can put an emphasis on building meaningful relationships in the household.
Society tells us that most families have it all figured out, and only the select few are whacky. We're here to dispose of that myth. If we're being candid, we think every family is a little messy, and marriage is no exception. Rather than ignore it, we think it's more helpful to lean into it and focus on working through the chaos.
How far into your future do you intend to carry baggage from the past? The people who have hurt us, the mistakes we've made, and the "what-ifs" of who we used to be are hindrances in the pursuit of a better future. We want to know true freedom as we seek emotional, relational, and spiritual growth– so let's make the decision to let go.
When we get to our inevitable breaking point after making bad decisions in life, we turn around and ask ourselves "what in the world was I thinking?" We often struggle to sort through this question, but leaning into it can give us the needed foresight to avoid falling into the pattern of bad decision-making next time around. Let's dig in.
We don't like to talk about our mistakes. Mistakes are ugly. Mistakes are shameful. Mistakes are the worst parts of us– and when we do admit our mistakes, we like to put most of the blame on someone or something else. However, as Dave states elegantly in this talk, "the common denominator in all of our mistakes, is that we were there to make them." If you want to ensure that the negative parts of our lives don't carry with us into 2020, you have to start by owning your mistakes– even when it's challenging. Join us this week as we take the first step.
They say "new year, new me" right? The pressure of resolutions and expectations can be crushing going into a new year, but we believe with clear vision and proper perspective, this can be the best year of your life! Join us as we look to scripture and real-life examples to lay the groundwork for the best year yet!