Lakewood Vineyard (OH): Recent Episodes
Lakewood Vineyard
Lakewood Vineyard is a church in Lakewood, Ohio whose mission is to help people reimagine faith in Jesus by encountering God, exploring faith, discovering authentic community, and loving our world on mission together.
Join us as we hear a guest preacher, Pastor Christan Root of Grove City Vineyard, continue our series "Hunger & Thirst".
Cyd Holsclaw joins us for a special episode where she guides us through a practice that can help us wire our brains for joy, and return to feeling seen, known, and understood by God: Immanuel Journaling.
Episode Resources:
Book on Immanuel Journaling: Joyful Journey
Sample Immanuel Journaling Sheet
Immanuel Journaling Group Sharing Process
You can find more about Cyd at:
www.cydholsclaw.com
The Center for Embodied Faith
Check out her podcast along with her husband, Dr. Geoff Holsclaw: Attaching to God
Pastor Wendy helps us understand what joy really is, and how we can experience it in the midst of other emotions.
Today, Kaylyn Lloyd reads from John 19:38-42 and Luke 23:54-56 as we sit with Jesus at the tomb in waiting and wonder at what has taken place.
Join us each day of Holy Week as different members of our church family lead us through Scripture and reflection, journeying with Jesus to the cross.
To follow along with our Lent Series, Vice & Virtue check out lakewoodvineyard.com/vice-virtue
To find out more about our Easter gathering, check out lakewoodvineyard.com/easter
Today is Good Friday. Liz Kannel reads from Mark 15:21-41 as we join Jesus at the cross.
Join us each day of Holy Week as different members of our church family lead us through Scripture and reflection, journeying with Jesus to the cross.
To follow along with our Lent Series, Vice & Virtue check out lakewoodvineyard.com/vice-virtue
To find out more about our Easter gathering, check out lakewoodvineyard.com/easter
Today, Erin Shetler reads from Luke 22:47-53 and Mark 14:66-72 as Jesus is arrested and Peter denies him.
Join us each day of Holy Week as different members of our church family lead us through Scripture and reflection, journeying with Jesus to the cross.
To follow along with our Lent Series, Vice & Virtue check out lakewoodvineyard.com/vice-virtue
To find out more about our Easter gathering, check out lakewoodvineyard.com/easter
Today, Catherine Golladay reads from Mark 14:32-42 as we join Jesus as he prays in the garden.
Join us each day of Holy Week as different members of our church family lead us through Scripture and reflection, journeying with Jesus to the cross.
To follow along with our Lent Series, Vice & Virtue check out lakewoodvineyard.com/vice-virtue
To find out more about our Easter gathering, check out lakewoodvineyard.com/easter
Today, Josh Allen reads from John 13:1-17 as Jesus washes the disciples' feet.
Join us each day of Holy Week as different members of our church family lead us through Scripture and reflection, journeying with Jesus to the cross.
To follow along with our Lent Series, Vice & Virtue check out lakewoodvineyard.com/vice-virtue
To find out more about our Easter gathering, check out lakewoodvineyard.com/easter
Pastor Matt finishes our teaching series on the Seven Deadly Sins & their requisite virtues on a bold topic: gluttony. Check it out.
Today Mike Gierhart reads from Luke 22:7-23 as we join Jesus at the Last Supper.
Join us each day of Holy Week as different members of our church family lead us through Scripture and reflection, journeying with Jesus to the cross.
To follow along with our Lent Series, Vice & Virtue check out lakewoodvineyard.com/vice-virtue
To find out more about our Easter gathering, check out lakewoodvineyard.com/easter
Today Diane Smith reads from Mark 14:3-9 as Jesus is anointed.
Join us each day of Holy Week as different members of our church family lead us through Scripture and reflection, journeying with Jesus to the cross.
To follow along with our Lent Series, Vice & Virtue check out lakewoodvineyard.com/vice-virtue
To find out more about our Easter gathering, check out lakewoodvineyard.com/easter
Join us each day of Holy Week as different members of our church family lead us through Scripture and reflection, journeying with Jesus to the cross.
To follow along with our Lent Series, Vice & Virtue check out lakewoodvineyard.com/vice-virtue
To find out more about our Easter gathering, check out lakewoodvineyard.com/easter
Join Matt & Wendy for a conversation on the vice we didn't get to talk about on Sunday: Lust.
This Lent season, take a moment each week with the Guided Reflections and Conversations we'll be sharing here on our podcast connected to our Lent Series: Vice & Virtue.
We’re excited to share stories & engage in practices that help us step more deeply into the freedom of ordered desires.
Follow along with the entire series at https://lakewoodvineyard.com/vice-virtue/
Take a moment to pause with the Genesis Examen: 3 Questions God asked in Genesis 3. It's a helpful prayer practice to pause and notice with God what is going on within you.
It is based off the book Healing What's Within by Chuck Degroat
This Lent season, take a moment each week with the Guided Reflections and Conversations we'll be sharing here on our podcast connected to our Lent Series: Vice & Virtue.
We’re excited to share stories & engage in practices that help us step more deeply into the freedom of ordered desires.
Follow along with the entire series at https://lakewoodvineyard.com/vice-virtue/
This week, hear a bit of the meaning behind our Vice & Virtue Lent series. What are the vices and passions, and what's the purpose of paying attention to them anyway?
This Lent season, take a moment each week with the Guided Reflections and Conversations we'll be sharing here on our podcast connected to our Lent Series: Vice & Virtue.
We’re excited to share stories & engage in practices that help us step more deeply into the freedom of ordered desires.
What do we mean when we say on Ash Wednesday that "we are dust and to dust we will return"? Take a moment this Ash Wednesday to pause not only in the reality of our death but in the hope of Christ's life.
This Lent season, take a moment each week with the Guided Reflections and Conversations we'll be sharing here on our podcast connected to our Lent Series: Vice & Virtue.
We’re excited to share stories & engage in practices that help us step more deeply into the freedom of ordered desires.
Pastor Matt continues our Spiritual Friendship series on the difference true friends make in each other's lives.
Tom Wadsworth preaches a stand-alone message on understanding how God is always working; and participating in what God is doing.
This week's installment in the series "Good Work" is a panel comprised of members of Lakewood Vineyard, hosted by Pastor Matt.
Advent invites us to slow down from the rush-- to pause with the voices of those waiting in anticipation of Christ’s coming.
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Silent Night: Hope in the Dark".
Follow along at our Advent Resources Page.
Advent invites us to slow down from the rush-- to pause with the voices of those waiting in anticipation of Christ’s coming.
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Silent Night: Hope in the Dark".
Follow along at our Advent Resources Page.
Pastor Matt preaches the second week in our Advent series, "Silent Night... Hope in the Dark."
Advent invites us to slow down from the rush-- to pause with the voices of those waiting in anticipation of Christ’s coming.
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Silent Night: Hope in the Dark".
Follow along at our Advent Resources Page.
Pastor Wendy gives the first sermon in our Advent series, "Silent Night... Hope in the Dark."
Pastor Matt preaches the final sermon in our Fall Series "Faithful Presence: Being People of God in Anxious Times"
Pastor Wendy preaches week 7 in our Fall Series "Faithful Presence: Being People of God in Anxious Times"
Pastor Matt preaches week 6 in our Fall Series "Faithful Presence: Being People of God in Anxious Times"
Our Church Planting Resident Josh Allen preaches week 5 in our Fall Series "Faithful Presence: Being People of God in Anxious Times"
Pastor Matt preaches week 4 in our Fall Series "Faithful Presence: Being People of God in Anxious Times"
Pastor Wendy preaches week 3 in our Fall Series "Faithful Presence: Being People of God in Anxious Times"
Pastor Matt preaches week 2 in our Fall Series "Faithful Presence: Being People of God in Anxious Times"
Pastor Matt introduces our Fall Series "Faithful Presence: Being People of God in Anxious Times"
Wendy & Matt are joined by Amanda Clark, Lead Pastor at Branches Vineyard. They talk about some of the tougher passages to understand in 1 Corinthians, specifically the ones in 1 Corinthians 11 and 14, that seem to limit women's participation in the church. Amanda brings scholarly insight and perspectives on the passages and how to faithfully approach reading Scripture well.
In addition to being the pastor at Branches Vineyard, Amanda teaches a course through the VineyardUSA Women's Association on Theology for Women in Ministry Leadership, digging even deeper into these passages and more!
To find out more about that course and other resources for Women in the Vineyard, you can click here.
Books mentioned in the Podcast"
The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible by Scot McKnight
Half the Church: Recapturing God's Global Vision for Women by Carolyn Custis James
Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church by Nijay Gupta
Rediscovering Scripture's Vision for Women by Lucy Peppiatt
Pray through the events of Holy Week with us this week. Those moments leading up to Jesus' death on the cross. We'll have one episode for each day leading up to Easter.
Episode 1: Sunday: The Triumphal Entry - Luke 19:28-42
This type of pausing to pray with Scripture is a way of encountering God in the passage, taking a moment to meet with Jesus and be with him in the scene, and see what God might want to show you during this time of prayer and remembering what Christ did.
Each passage this week will be read twice, allowing you to enter into the scene and notice what part God might want to highlight for you.
After the recording ends, take a moment to pray in response to God or journal what stirred in you as you listened to the day's passage.
Find the entire Easter Series at lakewoodvineyard.com/teachings
Pray through the events of Holy Week with us this week. Those moments leading up to Jesus' death on the cross. We'll have one episode for each day leading up to Easter.
Episode 5: Thursday: Jesus Arrested and Peter's Denial - Luke 22:47-53, Mark 14:66-72
This type of pausing to pray with Scripture is a way of encountering God in the passage, taking a moment to meet with Jesus and be with him in the scene, and see what God might want to show you during this time of prayer and remembering what Christ did.
Each passage this week will be read twice, allowing you to enter into the scene and notice what part God might want to highlight for you.
After the recording ends, take a moment to pray in response to God or journal what stirred in you as you listened to the day's passage.
Find the entire Easter Series at lakewoodvineyard.com/teachings
Pray through the events of Holy Week with us this week. Those moments leading up to Jesus' death on the cross. We'll have one episode for each day leading up to Easter.
Episode 7: Holy Saturday: Sabbath - John 19:38-42, Luke 23:54-56
This type of pausing to pray with Scripture is a way of encountering God in the passage, taking a moment to meet with Jesus and be with him in the scene, and see what God might want to show you during this time of prayer and remembering what Christ did.
Each passage this week will be read twice, allowing you to enter into the scene and notice what part God might want to highlight for you.
After the recording ends, take a moment to pray in response to God or journal what stirred in you as you listened to the day's passage.
Find the entire Easter Series at lakewoodvineyard.com/teachings
Pray through the events of Holy Week with us this week. Those moments leading up to Jesus' death on the cross. We'll have one episode for each day leading up to Easter.
Episode 4: Wednesday: Prayer in the Garden - Mark 14:32-42
This type of pausing to pray with Scripture is a way of encountering God in the passage, taking a moment to meet with Jesus and be with him in the scene, and see what God might want to show you during this time of prayer and remembering what Christ did.
Each passage this week will be read twice, allowing you to enter into the scene and notice what part God might want to highlight for you.
After the recording ends, take a moment to pray in response to God or journal what stirred in you as you listened to the day's passage.
Find the entire Easter Series at lakewoodvineyard.com/teachings
Pray through the events of Holy Week with us this week. Those moments leading up to Jesus' death on the cross. We'll have one episode for each day leading up to Easter.
Episode 6: Good Friday: The Cross - Mark 15:21-41
This type of pausing to pray with Scripture is a way of encountering God in the passage, taking a moment to meet with Jesus and be with him in the scene, and see what God might want to show you during this time of prayer and remembering what Christ did.
Each passage this week will be read twice, allowing you to enter into the scene and notice what part God might want to highlight for you.
After the recording ends, take a moment to pray in response to God or journal what stirred in you as you listened to the day's passage.
Find the entire Easter Series at lakewoodvineyard.com/teachings
Pray through the events of Holy Week with us this week. Those moments leading up to Jesus' death on the cross. We'll have one episode for each day leading up to Easter.
Episode 3: Tuesday: The Last Supper - Luke 22:7-23
This type of pausing to pray with Scripture is a way of encountering God in the passage, taking a moment to meet with Jesus and be with him in the scene, and see what God might want to show you during this time of prayer and remembering what Christ did.
Each passage this week will be read twice, allowing you to enter into the scene and notice what part God might want to highlight for you.
After the recording ends, take a moment to pray in response to God or journal what stirred in you as you listened to the day's passage.
Find the entire Easter Series at lakewoodvineyard.com/teachings
Pray through the events of Holy Week with us this week. Those moments leading up to Jesus' death on the cross. We'll have one episode for each day leading up to Easter.
Episode 2: Monday: Jesus Anointed at Bethany - Mark 14:3-9
This type of pausing to pray with Scripture is a way of encountering God in the passage, taking a moment to meet with Jesus and be with him in the scene, and see what God might want to show you during this time of prayer and remembering what Christ did.
Each passage this week will be read twice, allowing you to enter into the scene and notice what part God might want to highlight for you.
After the recording ends, take a moment to pray in response to God or journal what stirred in you as you listened to the day's passage.
Find the entire Easter Series at lakewoodvineyard.com/teachings
We're journeying with Jesus to the Cross this Easter.
These weekly reflections go along with our Gospel Passage from Sunday, entering into the scene with Jesus prayerfully.
Today's Episode is from Mark 8:27-26 as Jesus asks the disciples who they say that He is and explains the Way of the Cross.
To hear the Sunday Teaching that goes with this passage, go to lakewoodvineyard.com/journey-with-jesus/
We're journeying with Jesus to the Cross this Easter.
These weekly reflections go along with our Gospel Passage from Sunday, entering into the scene with Jesus prayerfully.
Today's Episode is from Mark 7:1-8, 14-23, Jesus' interaction with the Pharisees and disciples on what makes us clean and unclean.
To hear the Sunday Teaching that goes with this passage, go to lakewoodvineyard.com/journey-with-jesus/
We're journeying with Jesus to the Cross this Easter.
These weekly reflections go along with our Gospel Passage from Sunday, entering into the scene with Jesus prayerfully.
Today's Episode is from John 2:1-11, Jesus' first recorded miracle, turning water into wine.
To hear the Teaching that goes with this passage, go to lakewoodvineyard.com/journey-with-jesus/
In this fourth episode of our "Teach Us To Pray" supplemental podcast series, Catherine Golladay shares with Wendy about her deepening experiences of prayer, being with God in silence, and learning to recognize His voice within.
Follow along with the whole series at https://lakewoodvineyard.com/teach-us-to-pray/
In this third episode of our "Teach Us To Pray" supplemental podcast series, Ryan Smeltzer shares with Wendy about his experiences in prayer, intercession, and the value of persistence in prayer, especially when it seems like God isn't answering.
Follow along with the whole series at https://lakewoodvineyard.com/teach-us-to-pray/
In this second episode of our "Teach Us To Pray" supplemental podcast series, Tom Wadsworth shares with Wendy about his experiences in coming to the Lord in prayer and learning to hear and recognize His voice.
Follow along with the whole series at https://lakewoodvineyard.com/teach-us-to-pray/
In this first episode of our "Teach Us To Pray" supplemental podcast series, Chelsea Britt shares with Wendy about her experiences with posture of prayer, how leaning on promises from Scripture can help when we don’t have the words to pray, and what it looks like to come to God in raw honesty.
Follow along with the whole series at https://lakewoodvineyard.com/teach-us-to-pray/
Listen for how God calls your name. How is He inviting you to join Him in bringing love and presence to the world?
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Becoming Human: Embracing Our Humanity In Light of God Becoming Human"
HERE is the Advent Guide through the Book of Luke and our Advent Resource Page.
Isaiah 43:1-3
But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
Pause with the joy of God who is glad to be with you.
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Becoming Human: Embracing Our Humanity In Light of God Becoming Human"
HERE is the Advent Guide through the Book of Luke and our Advent Resource Page.
Psalm 139: 1-18, 23-24 MSG
1-6 God, investigate my life;
get all the facts firsthand.
I’m an open book to you;
even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
I’m never out of your sight.
You know everything I’m going to say
before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you’re there,
then up ahead and you’re there, too—
your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
I can’t take it all in!
7-12
Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?
to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you’re there!
If I go underground, you’re there!
If I flew on morning’s wings
to the far western horizon,
You’d find me in a minute—
you’re already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
At night I’m immersed in the light!”
It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you;
night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.
13-16
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.
17-22
Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
God, I’ll never comprehend them!
I couldn’t even begin to count them—
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!
23-24
Investigate my life, O God,
find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
then guide me on the road to eternal life.
Leaning into JOY this week. The Joy of God with us.
Today's reflection comes from Hebrews 2:14-18:
"14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them] fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Becoming Human: Embracing Our Humanity In Light of God Becoming Human"
HERE is the Advent Guide through the Book of Luke and our Advent Resource Page.
Silence. Waiting. 400 years.
And then Jesus was born… God entering the world.
Hope had come.
And yet…. Many did not realize.
Do we realize his coming in our own lives and days? What about when he feels silent or distant from our real struggles?
When you don’t know how to express how you’re feeling– a great place to turn is the Psalms. Real people expressing real emotions, real questions, to God.
So today let’s pause with a Psalm, and allow yourself to feel whatever you need to feel.
Psalm 42:1-4
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Becoming Human: Embracing Our Humanity In Light of God Becoming Human"
HERE is the Advent Guide through the Book of Luke.
Trust in the slow work of God.... looking forward with hope. If you missed Sunday's teaching on hope and our relationship to suffering.... you can find it here.
Patient Trust
"Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress
that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.
And so I think it is with you;
your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.
Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete."
—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Becoming Human: Embracing Our Humanity In Light of God Becoming Human"
HERE is the Advent Guide through the Book of Luke.
Today we pause and look toward hope, allowing Jesus to enter with us into what is now and not yet.
Reflection Passage: Luke 6:17-23
17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
20 Looking at his disciples, he said:“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.
23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Becoming Human: Embracing Our Humanity In Light of God Becoming Human"
HERE is the Advent Guide through the Book of Luke.
As we rest in God's Peace and experience His Love, we find our hearts drawn outward to extend that same compassion to others
Today we pause for Lectio Divina, prayerful reading, of Scripture using:
Luke 4:16-20 and
Matthew 4:18-22
How is Jesus inviting you to join him in what He came to fulfill?
How are you responding?
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Becoming Human: Embracing Our Humanity In Light of God Becoming Human"
HERE is the Advent Guide through the Book of Luke.
Grounding in Goodness
As we continue to enter into peace this week, use this practice of gratitude to experience God's goodness in everyday moments.
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Becoming Human: Embracing Our Humanity In Light of God Becoming Human"
HERE is the Advent Guide through the Book of Luke.
As you journey through Advent, take a moment with this song, "Perfect Peace", written by Britton Roberts, the Creative Director here at Lakewood Vineyard.
Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
This week of Advent, we're entering into Peace...
Take a moment to pause and reflect on Psalm 131 and the angel's encouragement to not be afraid.
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Becoming Human: Embracing Our Humanity In Light of God Becoming Human"
HERE is the Advent Guide through the Book of Luke.
An invitation to mystery...
Follow along each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of Advent for a short reflection to pause with God in this season.
Scriptures included:
Isaiah 40:3-5
Galatians 4:4-7
These guided reflections go along with our Sunday teaching series "Becoming Human: Embracing Our Humanity In Light of God Becoming Human"
HERE is the Advent Guide through the Book of Luke
David Ruis is a well-respected worship leader and songwriter ("You're Worthy Of My Praise," "Every Move I Make," and many more). He is currently the National Director of Vineyard Canada.
The world around us longs for real spiritual experiences. Pentecost Sunday celebrates the outpouring of God’s experienced presence as recorded in the book of Acts. Contrary to popular belief, the story of the Bible is mostly not about getting to Heaven, it’s the reality of Heaven getting into us. Life with God makes all things right. "This is real like gravity is real."
We did an interview with Dr. Ron Hitchcock talking all things marriage. Ron has over 30 years experience of marriage and family ministry and drops some wisdom on us in this episode.
You can check out all the resources he listed and more at lifeinmotionresources.com.
Jump into our ongoing conversation about singleness and dating as part of our series It's Messy: Navigating Singleness, Dating and Marriage.
Resources as we mentioned:
7 Myths about Singleness by Sam Allberry
The Meaning of Singleness by Danielle Treweek
Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing by Jay Stringer
Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Got Married by Gary Chapman
The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Tim Keller
*while we don't agree with the view on gender roles presented in this book, the rest of it is so solid for relationships that we can't help but recommend it!
Wendy leads us through a simple reflective prayer practice as one way to step into awareness and the ways of being with God we are learning about on Sundays through Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Feel free to pause to extend time for silence.
Each week, we will release a reflective practice to help you as you continue to live in God's presence in your everyday life.
Wendy leads us through a simple reflective prayer practice as one way to step into awareness and the ways of being with God we are learning about on Sundays through Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Feel free to pause to extend time for silence.
Each week, we will release a reflective practice to help you as you continue to live in God's presence in your everyday life.
Wendy leads us through a simple reflective prayer practice as one way to step into awareness and the ways of being with God we are learning about on Sundays through Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
Each week, we will release a reflective practice to help you as you continue to live in God's presence in your every day life.
MARK 10.46-52
As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
Wendy leads us through a simple prayer and silence as one way to step into awareness and the ways of being with God we are learning about on Sundays through Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
Each week, we will release a reflective practice to help you as you continue to live in God's presence in your every day life.
Psalm 6
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
3 My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, Lord, how long?
4 Turn, Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.
5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?
6 I am worn out from my groaning.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.
8 Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.
Wendy leads us through a simple prayer and silence as one way to step into awareness and the ways of being with God we are learning about on Sundays through Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
Each week, we will release a reflective practice to help you as you continue to live in God's presence in your every day life.
Wendy leads us through a simple prayer and silence as one way to step into awareness and the ways of being with God we are learning about on Sundays through Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.
Each week, we will release a reflective practice to help you as you continue to live in God's presence in your every day life.
What does God think about you? Can I (really) know where I stand with God? How do I grow as a Christian? Does God do whatever he is going to do, with or without me? We take some time to look at these 4 questions that we all ask!
From the series, God's Empowering Presence. Have you ever wondered why it seems like the more steps you take towards God, the harder life can sometimes feel? Certainly that can be because life is just hard, and sometimes it is our own sin. But what we often forget is that there is another team on the field. We are a in real fight as followers of Jesus and the Bible tells us that it is against the devil, the father of lies, and his demons. Join us as we dive into what the Bible says about spiritual warfare!
Join Matt and Wendy on our very first podcast episode! We're going a bit deeper into the topic from Sunday's talk-- what does it look like practically to discern God's will as we make decisions? Check out some things that have really helped us!
As mentioned in the episode, here is a prayer practice you can use to help you notice your interior movements and God's Presence in your day: A Prayer of Examen
From the series God's Empowering Presence.
Most of us have hit places in our lives and in our relationships with God where we wonder if there is more. Maybe we feel stuck in an addiction, people talk about hearing God but we never have, or our faith just feels dry and dead.
This fall we are kicking off a brand new series about the Holy Spirit: God's Empowering Presence who is the One that God has sent to be His Presence with us AND his Power in us. God has so much more for us through His Spirit.
Guest speaker Jermaine McNeil shares with us about how we keep Jesus the main thing and the invitation to pray for ALL people. You don't want to miss this!
From the series Parables of the Kingdom. As we wrap up our series, The Parables of the Kingdom, we want to ask this question: If everyone has a unique place and purpose in the kingdom of God, what's yours?
From the series Parables of the Kingdom. It's so easy in our culture to believe that it's up to us to make everything happen and to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps.
The myth of the self-made person.
But the story we're looking at today challenges that idea and instead challenges us to see everything as a gift.
From the series Parables of the Kingdom. Most of us love the idea of forgiveness that's central to the Christian message... in theory. But the reality of us forgiving others often times feels like a very different story.
Today, we're diving into forgiveness in the kingdom of God!
From the series The Parables of the Kingdom. A lot of Christians are only being converted by half the Gospel. We preach Jesus as King and we lead people in prayers to follow Jesus and make him Lord of our lives, but we often skip over The Kingdom of God. We often make it a mere addendum to the Gospel. But Jesus himself says that proclaiming the Kingdom of God is is the reason he was sent! Worship & Creative Arts Director Britton Roberts shares with us about the kingdom of God and the challenges of culture, politics, and counterfeit Christianity!
From the series The Parables of the Kingdom. Have you ever had someone that loved you enough to say something hard? They saw you heading towards trouble and yelled, "Watch out!" In this teaching, Tom Wadsworth shares with us from the power of a challenging word and the necessity of repentance and going in a different direction
From the series The Parables of the Kingdom. We often hear that God loves us and that God is generous , but we often think there's a catch. In this message, Wendy Gierhart shares with us that God's goodness is so good that it cannot be exaggerated!
From the series The Parables of the Kingdom. For most of us, success looks like fast growth, forceful, and something that everyone can see. But when Jesus tells the parable of the mustard seed and the yeast, he flips this upside down. What if the kingdom of God isn't like this at all? What if's actually the opposite? Alex Meyers shares with us about these great parables!
From the series The Parables of the Kingdom. What would you give up everything for? In the parable of the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price, Jesus tells us that the kingdom of God is worth giving everything up. But why? And even if we want to, how do we do it?
From the series The Parables of the Kingdom. If you were to guess what Jesus taught the most about, what would it be? Would you be surprised that it was the kingdom of God? At the very beginning Jesus begin announcing the good news that God's kingdom had come close and that it had come close in Jesus! Today, we begin this new series as we explore the rest of the summer the stories that Jesus told to help us understand what God's kingdom was all about.
From the series The Art of Neighboring. When we think about stepping out and doing something new or meeting someone new, fear often gets in the way. Fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, fear of what it will cost us? In the final message in our series, we take a look at the barrier of fear to loving our neighbor and how we overcome it!
From the series The Art of Neighboring. The biggest challenge to loving our neighbor is actually slowing down enough to notice our neighbor. In this talk, we take a look at the life of Jesus and the life of un-hurry that he lived!
From the series The Art of Neighboring. If there was one thing we could differently in the world that would leave the greatest impact, what do you think it would be? For most of us, loving our neighbor wouldn't be at the top of our list. And yet, Jesus said that alongside of loving God with all that you are, it was the greatest commandment. It really summarized all of the Bible.
What do you think the world would look like if we took this command literally and seriously?
From the series of Free at Last. In our final message from our Free at Last series, Matt explores Galatians 6 as Paul tells us the only law that we are called to follow - the law of Christ - which says "bear each others' burdens."
From the series Free at Last. If you've been around the Christian faith much, maybe you've heard someone talk about the "flesh" and the "spirit" but what does that actually mean? Worship & Creative Arts Director Britton Roberts shares with us the beauty of the invitation to life in the Spirit.
From the series Free at Last. There is the well-known verse that says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!" But what is real freedom? What does a life of real freedom look like?
From the series Free at Last. Have you ever seen someone that you love struggling so much that it hurts? You want to help them, guide them, point them towards how to live differently, how to change for the better. On this Mother's Day, we're going to look at we become the kind of person who becomes a catalyst for change in our people's lives as we explore the question of, "How do we love like a mother?"
From the series Free at Last. We've all experienced those habits, thought patterns, and emotions that seem to control us. And we can feel stuck. We wish it was different. We wish we were different but it feels like we're powerless to change.
But what if at the heart of the issue was the very thing that we love most in the world? The thing that we believe we need the most in the world?
And what if the way to find freedom was to exchange what we think we most need for the Only One we actually need - God himself?
From the series Free at Last. The idea that God is our Father for most people isn't a new one but oftentimes, we've become so used to that truth that we miss what it actually means. In this message, we'll look at how in Christ alone, God welcomes us into a new family, a new identity, and a new intimacy.
Easter Sunday. Many of us know the story of Easter Sunday but have we taken the time to really get to know the One who was risen? Join us today as we take a closer look at that first encounter with Jesus & how it shapes our encounter with him today!
From the series Free at Last. If you're like most people, reading and understanding the Bible can be difficult. But what if there was a central theme, a central story that helped us understand it. In this message, we're going to learn what God's heart has always been!
From the series Free at Last. A lot of us would say that we are spiritual but not religious. It doesn't take long for us to see that there are a lot of different kinds of spirituality.
So what makes spirituality Christian?
From the series Free at Last. How often do we find ourselves in boxes that keep us from really following Jesus into being and doing all that he has created us for? Our guest speaker Pastor Lumar Vargas of Aviva Church shares powerful words about how we freely follow Jesus.
From the series Free at Last. We like to think that peer pressure was just for middle school and high school, right? Who cares what other people think! But if we're honest, we do. And sometimes that can really affect our ability to live the kind of life that we most deeply want to live. How do we get free from this?
From the series Free at Last. It seems like no matter how our life has turned out so far, our past always seems to follow us around. But what if Jesus actually wanted to set us free from our past? What if he wanted to turn our past hurts and sin from a confession into a testimony?
From the series Free at Last. We throw around the term gospel a lot in Christian circles but its meaning is simple - "good news." But unfortunately the message that we share with others doesn't always sound like that good of news! In the first message of our new series, we take a look at how the gospel is only good news if we keep two things in mind. One, that we need rescued! And two, that Jesus has done everything. (Our apologies in advance for the audio quality.)
From the series Genero(us). Jesus says we're blessed and happy when we orient our lives around giving and generosity, but what happens when we do that? What are the outcomes? In this message, we look at 4 outcomes the Apostle Paul lays out in one of his letters to the Christians in Corinth.
From the series Generous. t’s really easy to let our lives slip into being centered around money - whether we have a little or a lot. On Sunday we looked at some warning signs that Jesus points out and two ways that are crucial to getting healthy with money!
From the series Genero(us). Jesus once said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." And while we normally hear this saying right after we give a gift or receive a gift, what if Jesus was talking less about random acts of giving but was actually inviting us to a lifestyle, a life centered around generosity? Join us in week 1 of this new series on the generous life!
We close out our series More with exploring what the mission of the early church looked and felt like! And we see that it's an invitation for us to join in with God in his mission in the world!
From the series More. What does it mean to be human? It probably depends on who you ask. But what if central to what it means to be human is to... work? What if the reason we want to find purpose in our work is because that's what we created for? This week we dive into Genesis 1 & 2 and look at how we're created in the image of a working God. Also this week we share the vision for our new office and community space and how you can join in!
From the series More. We are more connected as a society and yet more isolated than we have ever been before. While COVID caused some of this, what's also true is that it showed us the depth of relationships we had prior to 2020. However, in one of Jesus' last teachings before his death, he gave his disciples the key to meaningful relationships with one another.
From the series More. It seems like our culture has a funny relationship with truth and Christians aren't immune. We wonder where do we go to find truth. For most Christians, they'd say the Bible is their source of truth but even if we find truth, we wonder how we apply it to the actual world we live in. Alex Meyers shares some insight and tools as we continue our vision series, More.
From the series More. In this vision series for Lakewood Vineyard, we're going to look at the "more" that we believe God has for our church and as individuals. This week we're exploring 3 mindsets that can keep us from experiencing more intimacy with God.
From series More. When we think about our dreams and goals for the 2022, where does prayer fit into it? I know for many of us, we want to pray more, connect with God in deeper ways, but we aren't sure how. In this conversation, Casey shares some helpful resources as well as some of her own journey in prayer.
God has come near and our ordinary has forever been made extraordinary! Join us for this service of Scripture, song, prayer, and reflection.
From the series A Child is Born. We often ask what is the real meaning and message of Christmas. But we sometimes forget that while the shepherds and Mary had heard the message from angels they still have to respond to it. And this the same invitation for us today. What will we do with Christmas?
From the series A Child is Born. When we think of a king and a kingdom, we often think of power. But when Jesus came as a king announcing the kingdom, it wasn't what most people expected. He brought power to the weak and poor but didn't claim power for himself. Jesus came in an unexpected way but in a way that he knew we actually needed. Join us for week 2 in our Advent series!
From the series A Child is Born. Rarely does God do things in our timing and there isn't a story that captures this theme more than Jesus' arrival on Christmas. It had been promised thousands of years before and God's people had wondered if it would ever happen. All of us know the challenge of waiting for things that we're hoping for, even things that we feel like God has promised us. In this message, Matt shares with us some keys to waiting well.
From the series Faith:Full. When most of us think about prayer, we imagine something we do in private. And we do. But that's not the only context. In this incredibly practical book, James finishes up with a powerful word on prayer in the midst of our community and the power that it unleashes.
From the series Faith:Full. Most of us would love to know the future, but since we don't we try to control it. But what James says to us this week is that 1. It's a futile effort because you can't & 2. If you focus so much on the future, you'll miss the good God has for you to do right now.
From the series Faith:Full. When God feels distant, we often ask the question, "Where is God?" But what we see in the book of James is that the first question we should ask when God feels far away is - "Why did I move away?"
From the series Faith:Full. What does it mean to be a wise person? Most of us probably think of someone who is smart, who makes good decisions, adept with money maybe, lots of life experience. But when James describes wisdom, he leads with traits and characteristics that we don't often think about. Things like humility, submissive, and peace loving. Join us this week as we look at a picture of wisdom that might surprise and will definitely challenge you.
From the series Faith:Full. Words have power. We can use them to encourage and bless others or we can use them to harm. Jesus knows the power of words so he came as a rabbi, a teacher. But the devil knows this also and so his primary weapon are lies. So how do as a followers of Jesus use words like Jesus did?
From the series Faith:Full. Justice is a word that is thrown around frequently today but what does the Bible say about justice and a community defined by justice? James says it starts with loving your neighbor and everything else builds from there.
From the series Faith:Full. Have you ever had someone ask, "Are you even listening to me?" It's usually because we are giving the kind of response they're expecting from us (usually they're right!) But what about when God speaks? What kind of response is he looking for?
From the series Faith:Full. Life can be difficult. There is no way around it. But what if God wanted to give us tools that helped us not only survive through trials, but grow under pressure?
From the series Why Do We Do That? Coming out of the lockdown of 2020, many of us have asked, "Why do we gather as a church?" Especially, when we so quickly moved everything online. Is there any difference to meeting in-person of remotely? What is the purpose of gathering? This week Matt wraps up our series by preaching from Hebrews 10:19-25
From the series Why Do We Do That? It's hard to find a church that doesn't sing when they gather together, but why do we do it? And is singing and worship the same? This week worship lead Britton Roberts join Matt Shetler for a conversation about singing and worship.
From the series Why Do We Do That? Every survey shows that most American pray, and most pray daily. But what is prayer? Why do we do it? And why do we do it when we gather together?
From the series Why Do We Do That? Some things are hard to spend money on while other things are easy. Too easy. And what we learn from Jesus is that where our money goes the most easily shows what we dearly love. What if there were a practice, something we do, that could actually shape what we love and that it's somehow connected to giving our money away?
From the series "Why Do We Do That?" When we think about preaching, we think about professional Christians talking about Jesus. And that's true. But in today's talk we're going to look at what's important in preaching AND just talking about Jesus in any setting.
From the series Why Do We Do That?
There are so many things that we do when we gather as Christians that we never think about, "Why" or what those things mean. At the heart of baptism is the picture of how our lives are changed. Dying to our old lives, being united with Jesus, and living this new life with Jesus.
From the series The Making of a Leader. One of the most important parts in growing as a leader is the call to raise up other leaders. It isn't enough to be a "one-hit wonder" but we want the influence and impact to last. One of best
From the series The Making of a Leader. Burnout. It seems like we hear about it more and more, and people are suffering from it even more than is talked about. The problem of burnout is that it is usually connected to something we were once passionate about but now we've reached out limit. Sometimes that's because of external factors but other times it's because we're carrying a burden that God never asked us to carry.
From the series The Making of a Leader. The difference in Christian leadership is that while leadership may feel lonely, you are never alone. The blessing of Christian leadership is that God promises to go with you. This week Tom Wadsworth continues our series in Exodus 33.
From the series The Making of a Leader. One of the first things you learn in driver's education classes is to keep your eyes on the road. The reason is that where your eyes focus is where you will eventually go. As a leader, we're called to show others a better way. But in this talk, we take a look at where our vision is and where we, as leaders, are going!
From the series The Making of a Leader. Have you ever felt alone in parenting, at work, in the middle of a project, or pursuing a dream you've always had? We all have! One of the things we tell ourselves is that we're "doing the hard thing". But what if doing important things like this - alone - isn't always the hard thing but the unwise thing? In this message, we take a look at the kinds of people that we need surrounded by when we go to do those hard things.
From the series The Making of a Leader. God tests us to teach us, not to trip us up. What if we could have the mindset when we go through challenging circumstances that we didn't really sign up for? Could we face difficulties better knowing that God is for us and not against us?
From the series The Making of a Leader. We all know people (maybe us) who have grown old but not grown up. So if it isn't just time, what does lead a person to become mature? And how does God mature someone? In this talk, we look at the life of Moses and how we took the Israelites and Moses on an unexpected journey that was meant to grow them up before they grew old!
From The Making of a Leader Series. Almost all of us want to find our purpose or calling in life, but sometimes when sense God's calling, we get cold feet. We get unsure. And it's easier to stay in the status quo. How do we overcome our resistance to God's invitation to step into the purposes of God?
From the series The Making of a Leader. If you're human, you've failed. The good news is that not only does it not disqualify you from being a leader, but God is committed to using our failures to shape and transform us into the leaders he has created us to be.
From the series The Making of a Leader. What is a leader? Is it someone with specific talents and gifts? Or maybe an outgoing, strong personality? When we look at the life of leaders in the world, and specifically in the Bible, we see that it isn't a list of traits or skills but leaders are people who are called to influence others. In this first talk in our series, we're going to look at the early foundations of Moses' life and how God forms the early foundations of leaders.
From our Begin Here series. This morning JT Meyer shares about why the Church is so important - even with its bumps, bruises, and flaws - and how it helps us make some of the most important connections in our lives.
From our Begin Here series. If Jesus is who he says he is and he's done what he says he has done, it changes everything. And we hear that we should share it with other people, but how do we do that? Why do we do that? This week Tom Wadsworth continues our Begin Here series discussing these questions.
From the series Begin Here. On this Pentecost Sunday, we talk about the Holy Spirit and how it is that we experience true change in our lives through walking with him .
From the series Begin Here. It's often in times where we're lost, confused, or just need guidance that we reach out to God. But how does God guide us? How does he speak to us? In this message, we take a look at a snapshot of how some of the earliest Christian experienced God's guidance in their lives.
From the series Begin Here. The Bible. If there was one stumbling block for people when they consider the Christian faith, it usually centers around the Bible. So how should we think about the Bible? What is it? How do we read it? What do I do with all my questions? Join us as Matt explores some of these questions.
From the Begin Here Series. Most of us want to grow in prayer but when we go to the Bible, we read things like "pray without ceasing" and all of a sudden it feels like prayer might be best left to the professionals. Pastor Rebekah Kerney shares with us how prayer is really one of the most practical things we can do!
From our Begin Here series. Sometimes we wonder if faith and doubt can co-exist. And other times, we can get so comfortable and familiar that our trust in God doesn't feel like faith at all. But what if the invitation is, that no matter where we are in our faith journey, God is always inviting us to deeper faith?
From the Begin Here series. We're all happy to admit that we make mistakes but saying that we've.... sinned. Sin. This is one of the words we tend to avoid at all costs. What does that have to do with why Jesus died? What if at the heart of Jesus dying is his love that can't be fully grasped and that we are... sinners?
From the Begin Here series. Everything has a beginning. Everything has a starting point. Even faith. For Christians, the starting point is always Jesus. But what can we really know about Jesus? Can we trust what the Bible says? What do we do with all the billions of Christians? At the end of the day, we each need to answer the question that Jesus asks, "Who do you say I am?"
Christians have celebrated Easter for almost 2000 years but the days before the very first Easter were anything but a celebration. When Jesus died on the cross, hope died with him. But the reason we celebrate is that Jesus didn't stay dead. And because he has risen everything that is dead can be made alive again.
From our Living with Limits Series. When we hit our limits, it can often be a catalyst for real change and growth in our lives. But more often, we find ourselves pulling away from God, pushing aside the things that he has spoken to us in the past, and wondering if what we do really matters. When life gets hard, things can spiral down quickly. Join us for our last week in Ecclesiastes as we hear a word about what God's invitation is when things seem dark.
From our Living with Limits series. How do you know what's enough when it comes to money? Even with our basic needs met, there seems to be a continual pull towards more. And no matter how much we have, most of us don't say, "That's enough." But what if we could have a healthier relationship with money that enables us to live with gratitude, generosity, and freedom?
From the series Living with Limits. We all like the idea of having deep, meaningful relationships but in actuality, we're much more comfortable just depending on ourselves. In this message, Matt talks about how life really is better together and how we can take just one step forward into community with one another.
Our relationship with work is... complicated. Our work can make us feel like we're talk of the world when we're succeeding and like the weight of the world is crushing us when we're struggling. Is there a way to get out of this up and down cycle with work? And is it worth it? Matt shares today abut how our work can only worth it when we aren't finding our worth from it.
From the series Living with Limits. We all want to be free to do the things that are in our hearts to do. This is the good life, right? But following your heart can be tricky when it wants to lead you to places that might conflict with your beliefs, values, and commitments. Matt talks about the limits of following your heart and how to find your heart's true home.
From the series Living with Limits. Matt kicks off our new Lenten series on the book of Ecclesiastes asking us the big question: What is the meaning of life?
When we think of what it means to be God or divine, we often think of power, authority, and the ability to do whatever you want. But what if at the core of what it means to be God is self-giving love? What if what it means to be God is that you would give away power, that you would be vulnerable, and that you would sacrifice yourself for others? In this talk from Philippians 2, Pastor Matt talks about how this God would be the only one worthy of worship.
What comes to your mind when you hear the word "holy"? How about "sin?" For most of us, they're words that make us want to pull away from others and to even pull away from God. But what if meeting God as holy and seeing our sin clearly was the real path to freedom, belonging, and hope you're looking for?
In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells a parable about a generous landowner that begins to open our eyes to the extravagant and unexpected generosity of God. But oftentimes, we find that God's generosity and grace don't surprise anymore. The invitation that Pastor Matt gives us is to again be caught up in the extravagant generosity of God!
We might believe that God loves us and that he is powerful but do we believe that we can trust him, especially in the most difficult circumstances. Tom Wadsworth continues our series looking at Jesus' experience of trusting the Father in his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.
When we suffer is God punishing us? What about when something good happens? Are we being rewarded for something we good? Karma is a popular way of seeing life but Jesus says this isn't the way things actually are and it isn't the way that God actually is.
The stories we believe shape the lives that we live and the people that we are becoming. And the most important stories, and the ones that hit the deepest, are the stories that we believe about God. Matt talks about how Jesus came to show and tell us the clearest story of who God is and how that changes evrerything.
What do you think following Jesus looks like? We might have lots of ideas but is "joyful procession" one of them? Paul says exactly this in 2 Corinthians 2:14. Alex Meyers shares today about what it means to follow Jesus to wherever Jesus goes!
This week our friend JT Meyer, lead pastor of Cleveland City Vineyard, shares some of his story and how all of our stories merge with the kingdom of God.
According to research on love and vulnerability, the number one factor in determining whether or not someone felt love and belonging is believing that they deserved to be loved and deserved to belong.
The question Pastor Matt looks at in this talk is, "Where do you find your love and belonging?"
Joy. It's not the word most people would describe their experience of 2020. And yet, in the story of Christmas, we've been told that there is "good news that will cause great joy"! How does that good news impact difficulties, challenges, and suffering? Can we still have joy? We discuss this as well as interview Tom Wadsworth with The Strait Foundation about the ways that they are bringing the good news to countries like Tanzania.
What do you think it would take for you to find peace? Usually, we think about what we need to get rid of, what we need to change, what's missing. But what if peace wasn't about that but that God's desire for peace was to make us whole and complete right now, as things are?
As we enter into Advent, we re-engage our longing for hope. And at the center of Christian hope is a person not a perspective. Pastor Matt shares this week from Isaiah 11 and the hope that the Messiah, Jesus, brings.
God speaks to us in so many different ways & they are all meant to draw us into closer fellowship with him. Matt shares today 7 ways that God speaks to us and some insight into how we can discern what is God's voice.
How do we learn to hear God's voice and what do we do with the competing voices? Today Tom Wadsworth shares from John 10 about Jesus our Good Shepherd and how we learn to recognize his voice.
Why does God speak so softly when he speaks? It's because he wants us to come close. Take a listen as we kick off our new series as Pastor Matt teaches from the story of the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19.
Sometimes we think the decisions we make in the moment don't matter. But the decisions we make leave a lasting echo in the lives of our children, grandchildren, and the generations that come after us. Pastor Matt takes a deeper look at the story of Joseph and the echo that sounded in his life.
There are a lot of ideas on how to raise and invest in children, but do we think about how to cultivate their spiritual life? Today we look at the origin story of Samuel and how he was invested in to become the spiritual leader of Israel.
This week we're talking broken family relationships and why Jesus doesn't give us the option to say, "I don't care." Listen in as we journey through 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Family conflict. It's what we all have in common. The other thing we can all agree on is that it's someone else's fault. But whoever's fault it is, the reality is that even when we feel like we win an argument in our family, it never feels like winning. This week Matt shares from James 4:1-3 about family conflict, the source, the casualties, and the healing.
*Our apologies for the audio quality
Ephesians 5:21 - When the Bible talks about marriage, especially in the New Testament, we miss the power and wisdom by asking the wrong questions. Instead of asking, "Who is in charge?" and "What about my needs?", the call to mutual submission means we should be asking, "How can I help?"
Jesus always pointed to and taught the ideal but never condemned those who didn't meet it.
Pastor Andy Sikora of Renew Communities in Berea, Ohio continues our Citizens & Exiles series as he teaches on 1 Peter 1:13-2:3.
Join us for an interview with pastor and spiritual director Jared Boyd as wrap up our series on spiritual practices!
Matt Shetler shares this week from Luke 10:38-42 and the story of Jesus, Mary & Martha. One of the greatest enemies to living in the New Normal of Jesus is hurry. That’s because love has a speed & it’s slow.
We’re all talking about the new normal - how we navigate it, how we thrive in it, how we hold on to what matters most. But way before social distancing & stay-at-home orders, Jesus invited us to follow Him into a New Normal so different than anything we’ve experienced, a new way of living where he is the Way.
The story of Easter has the power to still change lives! In this message, Matt shares how real life change begins with a relationship with the One who defeated death! We take a look at how Jesus transformed two women's lives - one 2000 years ago and a story of transformation today.
Have expectations ever gotten you in trouble? Jesus continually messed up people's expectations of who he was & what he came to do. On this Palm Sunday, we're going to look at Matthew 21 & Jesus' Triumphal Entry and see what Jesus' real mission was and his upside-down way of becoming king!
In this message, Matt discusses the problem of isolation in our current situation during the COVID-19 situation but also the ongoing struggle many of us have on a day to day basis. Looking at Hebrews 10:19-25, we see that God's invitation is into a shared life with others in life-giving community.
In the second part of this message, Matt shares that in times of uncertainty and fear the most important thing we need is to hear from God. This is the story in Joshua 1 when Joshua finds himself leading an entire nation into the Promised Land after Moses died.
In this message, Matt shares from Psalm 3 about what we do with our fears - we pray them! We don't stay there though. We pray our fears, we pray our trust, and we let our prayers turn our thoughts to the needs of others.
Pastor Matt Shetler begins our new series during Lent, Giving Up, by discussing how the season of Lent is an invitation to give up the things that continually draw our hearts away from God. When we give them up, we create space for God to more fully satisfy the longings of our hearts.
Pastor Matt Shetler shares from the story of the Good Samaritan about what matters to God, who should matter to us, what our motivation should be to love, and how we practically do it.
Pastor Matt Shetler talks about two common ways that our identities are formed. First, by looking outside of ourself to our cultural expectations, family expectations, even religious expectations. The other common way is by looking inside of ourselves and doing our best to continually stay true to what we most deeply resonate with. But the gospel gives us a different way - that who we are and what is most true about us begins with who God says we are.
Pastor Matt Shetler shares what God's original vision and purpose for the Church is and some ways that we can begin to live into that vision.
Pastor Matt Shetler begins our Reimagine Faith series on Launch Sunday by sharing how Jesus wants to help us reimagine God and how we truly can connect with him through the story of the Two Lost Sons (The Prodigal Son).