RockPoint: Recent Episodes
RockPoint Church Chattanooga
In this series we will go on a journey experiencing the Psalms. The Psalms offers
not just a practical, theological journey but also an experiential journey through
poems and songs. The Psalms invite us to experience humanity in an honest and
real way. In this week’s message, Justin closes out the series by looking at Psalm 119.
In this series we will go on a journey experiencing the Psalms. The Psalms offers
not just a practical, theological journey but also an experiential journey through
poems and songs. The Psalms invite us to experience humanity in an honest and
real way. In this week’s message, we explore a Psalm that gives us a beautiful
picture of what a “faith that is alive” looks like.
In this series we will go on a journey experiencing the Psalms. The Psalms offers
not just a practical, theological journey but also an experiential journey through
poems and songs. The Psalms invite us to experience humanity in an honest and
real way. In this week’s message, we explore why we see the theme of praise
throughout the Psalms and how praise ultimately helps us experience how great
God is.
In this series we will go on a journey experiencing the Psalms. The Psalms offers
not just a practical, theological journey but also an experiential journey through
poems and songs. The Psalms invite us to experience humanity in an honest and
real way. In this week’s message, we explore Psalm 86 and discover a prayer that
David prayed that invites us to reflect on a tension we often feel in our hearts.
In this series we will go on a journey experiencing the Psalms. The Psalms offers
not just a practical, theological journey but also an experiential journey through
poems and songs. The Psalms invite us to experience humanity in an honest and
real way. In this week’s message, we explore Psalms 27 and discover that David
gives us a clear picture of how God wants us to handle the hurts and wounds we
experience in our lives.
In this series we will go on a journey experiencing the Psalms. The Psalms offers
not just a practical, theological journey but also an experiential journey through
poems and songs. The Psalms invite us to experience humanity in an honest and
real way. In this week’s message, we explore Psalm 139 and discover an
incredible invitation for us to experience the beauty of knowing and being known
by God.
In this series we will go on a journey experiencing the Psalms. The Psalms offers
not just a practical, theological journey but also an experiential journey through
poems and songs. The Psalms invite us to experience humanity in an honest and
real way. In this week’s message, we go on a journey through Psalm 19 that takes
us across the universe and deep into our own heart.
In this series we will go on a journey experiencing the Psalms. The Psalms offers
not just a practical, theological journey but also an experiential journey through
poems and songs. The Psalms invite us to experience humanity in an honest and
real way. In this week’s message we explore Psalm 32 and discover a freedom
and joy that comes when we experience it.
In this series we will go on a journey experiencing the Psalms. The Psalms offers
not just a practical, theological journey but also an experiential journey through
poems and songs. The Psalms invite us to experience humanity in an honest and
real way. In this week’s message we explore a Psalm that is written as a song.
This is significant because it goes beyond our intellect to invite us to truly
connect with God even in times of frustration and suffering.
In this series we will go on a journey experiencing the Psalms. The Psalms offers
not just a practical, theological journey but also an experiential journey through
poems and songs. The Psalms invite us to experience humanity in an honest and
real way. In this week’s message we explore a Psalm that dives into one of our
biggest experiences as humans and invites us to wrestle with what we look to
find our value.
Over the last few weeks we have been in a series called “Discovering Jesus”
where we are working our way through an account of Jesus’ life according to the
physician and historian Luke. As we get into the later chapters we begin to see
the theme of Generosity emerge in Jesus’ teachings. In this week’s message, we
see a picture of who Jesus is, how deeply generous he is toward us, and who He
calls us to be in the midst of a world that deeply needs generosity.
Over the last few weeks we have been in a series called “Discovering Jesus”
where we are working our way through an account of Jesus’ life according to the
physician and historian Luke. As we get into the later chapters we begin to see
the theme of Generosity emerge in Jesus’ teachings. In this week’s message, we
explore a parable Jesus told that helps us understand some specific points he
wanted to get across about money and how we use it.
Over the last few weeks we have been in a series called “Discovering Jesus”
where we are working our way through an account of Jesus’ life according to the
physician and historian Luke. As we get into the later chapters we begin to see
the theme of Generosity emerge in Jesus’ teachings. In this week’s message, we
explore a conversation that Jesus had, and in this conversation we discover an
invitation to a danger that money brings to all of us.
Over the last few weeks we have been in a series called “Discovering Jesus”
where we are working our way through an account of Jesus’ life according to the
physician and historian Luke. As we get into the later chapters we begin to see
the theme of Generosity emerge in Jesus’ teachings. In this week’s message we
explore an interaction Jesus had with a guy who was experiencing a conflict in
his family around money. In this conflict we discover an enemy of generosity that
Jesus highlights and a way to navigate through it in our own hearts and lives.
Over the last few weeks we have been in a series called “Discovering Jesus”
where we are working our way through an account of Jesus’ life according to the
physician and historian Luke. As we get into the later chapters we begin to see
the theme of Generosity emerge in Jesus’ teachings. In this week’s message we
explore what Jesus has to say about Generosity in our relationships in the
context of forgiveness and how this idea can impact our lives in a powerful way.
Over the last few weeks we have been in a series called “Discovering Jesus”
where we are working our way through an account of Jesus’ life according to the
physician and historian Luke. In this week’s message we turn a corner, because it
seems like, as we get into some of Jesus’ teachings and parables a specific
theme begins to emerge. This theme seems incredibly important to Jesus, and
anyone who follows Him. We are exploring the theme of generosity and we
discover that it goes beyond finances and reveals something significant in our
hearts.
In this series we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is, and what
He did for us.
In this series we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is, and what
He did for us. In this week’s message, we explore three parables Jesus told that
reminded people of where they came from. These parables shed light into our
own hearts and can help us see God, ourselves, and others in a way that truly
reflects life in the Kingdom of God.
In this series we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is, and what
He did for us. In this week’s message, today we look at a moment that offers us a
perspective of Jesus and ourselves. This moment allows us to see how Jesus
and those around Him navigated storms and uncertainties and how in the midst
of our own storms we can find peace and rest for our souls.
In this series we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is, and what
He did for us. In this week’s message, we explore an interaction that Jesus had
with two people and discover that this interaction highlights a problem we all
face. In this we see that Jesus offers a real way through this problem that can
change everything.
In this series we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is, and what
He did for us. In this week’s message, we continue to wrestle with the purity laws
because it came up so many times throughout Jesus’ ministry. We want to
continue to explore this because as we wrestle with this we can see the
implications this has on our lives.
In this series we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is, and what
He did for us. In this week’s message, we explore a difficult moment that gives us
a picture of what it is often like for us as we navigate life in this broken world.
This story gives us a beautiful picture of the redemption Jesus brings to our lives
and world.
In this series we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is, and what
He did for us. In this week’s message, we explore a few moments in Jesus’ life
that show us a picture of things that impact our lives as well.
In this series we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is, and what
He did for us. In this week’s message, we explore a sensitive and important reality
that expresses the brokenness of this world. Within this reality we discover the
deep compassion and love of Jesus and how it can impact our lives in a deep
way.
In this series we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is, and what
He did for us. In this week’s message, we discover what Jesus says about why he
came, and the way people responded to what He said.
In this series, we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is and what
He did for us. In this week’s message, we explore a passage that can seem
difficult. We discover in this passage that Jesus navigated something that we all
face, and He offers us real help when we face temptations too.
In this series, we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is and what He did for us. In this week’s message, we read two of Luke’s accounts and explore the tension of whose son Jesus is. This account introduces an important reality of Christianity: the idea of Sonship.
In this series, we are taking a few weeks to discover who Jesus is through Luke’s
Gospel. He wrote an account of the True story of Jesus so that we could know the
difference between grace and works. We hope to discover who Jesus is, and what
He did for us. In this week’s message, we begin looking at the True story of Jesus,
and how His story has the power to change everything.
In this series, we are exploring the Christmas story and how, in the story, we discover many expressions of joy.
In this series, we are exploring the Christmas story and how, in the story, we
discover many expressions of joy. In this week’s message, we look at the joy Mary
experienced when she found out she was having Jesus, and what we can learn
about joy from her story.
As you read through the Christmas story in the Gospel of Luke, we discover that
an overarching theme is Joy. It makes sense that this is the theme because
Christianity teaches that Jesus entered the world to love it, serve it, and save it. In
this week’s message, we begin by looking at the birth of John the Baptist because
his birth elicits joy in the midst of pain and suffering.
As a culture, we can often find ourselves in a comparison trap with others around us. This trap can lead us to attaching our happiness to what others around us have. In this week’s message, we ask ourselves the question: What am I chasing? In asking this question, we can discover if we are chasing happiness that can’t satisfy our deepest longings, or if we are resting in the joy that is only found in Christ.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we look at one final invitation Paul
gives in the journey of seeding and weeding.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we continue the conversation from last
week and get practical on how we can overcome the stubborn thorns that get
stuck in our hearts.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we look at another primary thorn that
can be more stubborn and truly keep us from the growth we are longing for.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we continue to dig deeper into the thorn
of fear and discover that Christianity truly offers a solution in overcoming the
fears that are unique to each one of us.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we discover another primary thorn that
gets stuck in our hearts that prevents us from living a flourishing life. In looking
at this, we discover that Christianity offers us a real solution to weeding this thorn
out.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we continue the conversation on the
missing stages of forgiveness and discover what forgiveness centered on the
cross truly looks like.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we begin exploring the journey of
forgiveness that runs through the cross and what it looks like in our lives.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we look at another primary thorn that
gets stuck in our hearts that keeps us from the growth and change we desire.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we explore the idea that sometimes
thorns get stuck in our hearts that we inherit from our family and the culture we
grew up in. Paul invites us to an honest evaluation of this idea and shows us
what Christ did to help us overcome the patterns that keep us stuck.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we continue to look at the thorns of sin
that can get stuck in our hearts, leading to us feeling shame and hiding. In
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he offers a real solution that leads to freedom.
In this series, we are asking the questions:
Why do we not change sometimes?
Why as Christians do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that comes from the Gospel?
We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we discover another thorn that gets stuck in our hearts that hinders the Gospel from bearing fruit in our lives.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes? Why as Christians do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we continue to discover a passage of scripture that offers insight into what leads to an insecure identity and the invitation to find a secure identity that lasts.
In this series we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes?
Why as Christians do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that
comes from the Gospel? We are discovering that all of us have weeds and thorns
that get stuck in our hearts that are choking out the seed of the Gospel and the
life and fruit in it. In this week’s message, we dive into a letter Paul wrote to the
Ephesians and discover one of the primary reasons weeds get stuck in our
hearts.
In this series, we are asking the questions: Why do we not change sometimes? Why, as Christians, do we have a hard time growing and bearing the fruit that comes from the Gospel? In this week’s message, we look at the environment in which we are living and discover helpful tools to help us evaluate if our environment leads to the growth we long for.
In this series, we are going on a journey through a letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians where he invites his readers to discover what a flourishing life looks like. In this letter, we get to discover the power that the seed of the Gospel has in changing our lives and the weeds that can prevent us from experiencing its power and fruit in our lives. In this week’s message, we introduce the idea of Seeding and Weeding through the parable of the sower in Matthew 13 and discover how this passage sets the stage for our journey through Ephesians.
Most people have heard the phrase: "Missing the Forest for the Trees." It means we can become so focused on what we want that we can miss the bigger picture of what's going on. Students can get so focused on memorizing facts that they miss out on learning the subject, or managers can be so concerned about their status with the company that they miss out on leading their team. What about following Jesus? Can followers of Jesus believe in Him and misunderstand him at the same time? In this week’s message, we look at a passage in Luke and discover how we can miss seeing Jesus when we put our own agendas and realities on Him. Luke invites us to surrender to Jesus’ kingdom in order to experience Him in our lives.
In our culture, the message encourages us to do everything we can to make it on our own, and culture tends to celebrate the self-made image. The problem with this is that we often find ourselves feeling insecure when our circumstances shake the identity we built for ourselves. In this message, Billy Nolan shares what he is learning about life and invites us to discover the role the Holy Spirit has in our lives and the abundance we can have even when circumstances are chaotic.
Over the next few weeks, we will be in a series studying the book of Genesis looking at the origin of us, our problem, and God’s incredible solution. Leaders, during this series, please use these questions each week to lead your group to engage deeper with the messages and discover where the Holy Spirit may be wanting to transform their hearts.
Over the next few weeks, we will be in a series studying the book of Genesis looking at the origin of us, our problem, and God’s incredible solution. Leaders, during this series, please use these questions each week to lead your group to engage deeper with the messages and discover where the Holy Spirit may be wanting to transform their hearts.
Over the next few weeks, we will be in a series studying the book of Genesis looking at the origin of us, our problem, and God’s incredible solution. Leaders, during this series, please use these questions each week to lead your group to engage deeper with the messages and discover where the Holy Spirit may be wanting to transform their hearts.
Over the next few weeks, we will be in a series studying the book of Genesis looking at the origin of us, our problem, and God’s incredible solution. Leaders, during this series, please use these questions each week to lead your group to engage deeper with the messages and discover where the Holy Spirit may be wanting to transform their hearts.
Over the next few weeks, we will be in a series studying the book of Genesis looking at the origin of us, our problem, and God’s incredible solution. Leaders, during this series, please use these questions each week to lead your group to engage deeper with the messages and discover where the Holy Spirit may be wanting to transform their hearts.
Over the next few weeks, we will be in a series studying the book of Genesis looking at the origin of us, our problem, and God’s incredible solution. Leaders, during this series, please use these questions each week to lead your group to engage deeper with the messages and discover where the Holy Spirit may be wanting to transform their hearts.
Over the next few weeks, we will be in a series studying the book of Genesis looking at the origin of us, our problem, and God’s incredible solution. Leaders, during this series, please use these questions each week to lead your group to engage deeper with the messages and discover where the Holy Spirit may be wanting to transform their hearts.
Over the next few weeks, we will be in a series studying the book of Genesis looking at the origin of us, our problem, and God’s incredible solution. Leaders, during this series, please use these questions each week to lead your group to engage deeper with the messages and discover where the Holy Spirit may be wanting to transform their hearts.
In this series, we are studying the book of Genesis by looking at the origin of us, our problem, and God’s incredible solution.
Christianity teaches that not only did Jesus die, but he provided a brand new way to do life and navigate our deepest needs and desires. In this series, we are looking at how Christ’s death provides a life-giving way to navigate the complexities of our relationships. In this week’s message, we explore a passage of scripture in Mark that gives a clear picture of two communities. In looking at this, we have the opportunity to discover which community we are doing life from, how it impacts our relationships with others, and an invitation that Jesus gives us that leads to humility and freedom.
Christianity teaches that not only did Jesus die, but he also provided a brand new way to do life and navigate our deepest needs and desires. In this series, we are looking at how Christ’s death provides a life-giving way to navigate the complexities of our relationships. In this week’s message, we explore an interaction Jesus had with his disciples that reveals something about the human heart. This revelation about the heart points to a struggle we all face, and Jesus shows us a way to navigate this tension that leads to freedom and peace.
Christianity teaches that not only did Jesus die, but he also provided a brand new way to do life and navigate our deepest needs and desires. In this series, we are looking at how Christ’s death provides a life-giving way to navigate the complexities of our relationships. In this week’s message, we look at a parable Jesus told about two different people who navigated relationships in a way that led to two very different outcomes.
Christianity teaches that Jesus came to earth and ultimately died on a cross so that we could experience a new way of living life that addresses the deepest needs we have. In this series we are exploring the incredible impact that Christ’s death and resurrection has on our relationships and how we can discover a life giving way of navigating them.
Easter is one of the most incredible moments in history. So often we celebrate the beauty of Christ’s selflessness, however we don’t often see the depth of his sacrifice and how it impacts everything about our lives. In this Easter message we explore the depth of what Christ has done for us and how it has the power to transform our lives in incredible ways.
The week before Jesus was crucified a crowd gathered waving palm branches welcoming Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. As we celebrate Palm Sunday we discover the beautiful and painful invitation that Jesus gives us that leads us to find true and lasting peace in Him.
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution for our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. When we discover the magnitude of God’s love it changes everything because His love is the answer to the deepest questions we ask. In this week’s message, we conclude the series by looking at the lives of two people who were confronted by the question: Where are you trying to find worth, value, and love?
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution for our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. When we discover the magnitude of God’s love it changes everything because His love is the answer to the deepest questions we ask. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that sometimes it is hard to live in God’s love and discover that Christianity offers a solution for this struggle we face.
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution for our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. When we discover the magnitude of God’s love it changes everything because His love is the answer to the deepest questions we ask. In this week’s message, we look at a tool Christianity offers that we often don’t think is linked to experiencing God’s love and yet Jesus clearly shows us that it can either allow us or keep us from living in the love of God.
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution for our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. When we discover the magnitude of God’s love it changes everything because His love is the answer to the deepest questions we ask. In this week’s message, we discover gifts and rhythms that God gives us to help us live in His love and find rest for our souls.
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution for our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. When we discover the magnitude of God’s love it changes everything because His love is the answer to the deepest questions we ask. In this week’s message, we discover the incredible practice of silence and solitude with the Father, and how Jesus himself practiced this to care for his soul in the midst of the chaos of this broken world.
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution for our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. When we discover the magnitude of God’s love it changes everything because His love is the answer to the deepest questions we ask. In this week’s message, we explore a tool that we have to help us learn to live in God’s love.
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution for our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. In this week’s message, we explore another practical way that the love we have found in Christ can pour out to those beyond our borders.
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution for our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. In this week’s message, we explore more of John’s writings and the reality that when we are living from a place of Knowing God’s love then it will naturally lead us to love one another.
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution for our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. In this week’s message, we discover that when we stand on a firm foundation of God’s love, that it leads us to naturally pour out love to others around us.
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution for our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. In this week’s message, we look at more of John’s writings on God’s love in the context of how we wrestle with and navigate our sin.
Love is one of the things we long for in our lives and the problem is that love in the world is tainted by our broken human nature. Christianity offers a solution to our problem with a love that is sustainable and everlasting. In this week’s message, we explore the unconditional love of God and how it impacts our lives.
In this series, we explore what it looks like to live in the love of God. Love is one of the most important themes and realities within Christianity and throughout scripture. In this week’s message, we ask the question: Why is love such an important theme throughout scripture?
In this Series, we are going to explore some of the claims Jesus made and the life and hope that they can bring to our lives. In this week’s message we explore and wrestle with what it means for us when Jesus says “I am the Truth.”
In this Series, we are going to explore some of the claims Jesus made and the life and hope that they can bring to our lives. In this week’s message we discover that there is something in us that is looking for a way to find hope and peace for life and death, so God sent a way through His Son Jesus.
Christianity teaches that God sent his only son, Jesus, to be born into this world, and Jesus’ birth was prophesied hundreds of years before He stepped into our world. So many people are familiar with the story of Christmas and yet struggle with some of the claims Jesus made. In this series, we are going to explore some of the claims Jesus made and the life and hope that they can bring to our lives.
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we look at how John concludes the book and how it addresses our deepest need for lasting peace and hope.
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we discover another reality that John’s readers faced. In reading this we discover that we wrestle with this reality too as we find ourselves asking the question: Are humans inherently good or bad?
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we look at a question Jesus was asked about His return and the end times. The questions His Disciples asked are important to look at if we are going to understand Revelation.
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we discover that the difficult part of Revelation that John writes is encouraging and hopeful to his readers and how reading it in context helps us understand the reality of Jesus.
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we move past John’s letters to discover a clear picture of the reality of Jesus that helps John’s readers navigate life, struggles, and questions with a clear perspective.
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we look at the last of the 7 letters John wrote. It is a powerful and blunt letter that applied to them, and applies to our lives today.
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we look at a letter John wrote to give his readers endurance in the painful suffering they were facing. This letter encourages us to ask the question: How can we navigate our own suffering with patient endurance?
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we look at an important letter John wrote to the Church of Sardis to help deepen their faith and how this letter can encourage our faith to take a deeper root as well.
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we look at a letter John wrote that is difficult to read yet points us to the reality of our own hearts and the grace Jesus invites us to live in.
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we look at a letter John wrote to Pergamum and what we can discover from it about where we can find a secure identity.
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we explore a letter John wrote to the church of Smyrna to encourage them as they navigated the incredibly hard suffering they were facing.
In this series, we are exploring the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we start to look at some instructions Jesus asked John to write and how what John wrote applies to our lives today.
In this series, we are going to explore the book of Revelation. Revelation is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that this book offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God. In this week’s message, we discover John’s invitation to look beyond what is seen in order to look and behold the reality of Jesus.
In this series, we are going to explore the book of Revelation. It is a book that is often misunderstood, misused, and misappropriated. Our hope is that as we explore this book we discover that when this book is read in context it offers a beautiful picture of the reality of Jesus and how in Him we have everything we need to navigate life, understand ourselves, and understand God.
In this week’s message, we explore a reality in all of us that has the propensity to veer off course as we navigate life. It can be helpful to pause at times and ask ourselves the question: How do we move forward in a way that does not compromise who we are, and what we set out to accomplish?
In this series, staff members are sharing what they have been learning over the past several months. In this week’s message, Rebekah Vaught shares what she has been discovering about confession on the foundation of the Gospel. She invites us to consider how confession in a safe Gospel centered community can change everything.
In this series, staff members are sharing what they have been learning over the past several months. In this week’s message, we hear from Jeremy Beeler on what he has learned about the comforting presence of God through reading Psalm 23.
In this series, staff members are sharing what they have been learning over the past several months. In this week’s message, we hear from Rachel Anderson and what she has been learning about life together in the Body of Christ. What she shares with us is not only impacting her life and faith but has the power to impact ours as well.
In this series, we are exploring the life and faith of David, the ancient King of Israel. We hope to discover through this series that Christianity isn’t an ethereal idea but applies to our real lives, decisions, and problems. In this week’s message, we end the series acknowledging that David navigated his brokenness and the brokenness around him really well. We explore the reality that David trusted that God was actually with him. We often struggle to accept this reality in our lives and yet it has the power to change everything about us.
In this series, we are exploring the life and faith of David, the ancient King of Israel. We hope to discover through this series that Christianity isn’t an ethereal idea but applies to our real lives, decisions, and problems. In this week’s message, we look at a moment in David’s life when he experienced deep suffering and grief. In looking at what happened in David’s life we can learn from him as we navigate our own suffering.
In this series, we are exploring the life and faith of David, the ancient King of Israel. We hope to discover through this series that Christianity isn’t an ethereal idea but applies to our real lives, decisions, and problems. In this week’s message, we look at David’s most famous mistake because it gives us insight on how to navigate our own sin.
In this series, we are exploring the life and faith of David, the ancient King of Israel. We hope to discover through this series that Christianity isn’t an ethereal idea but applies to our real lives, decisions, and problems. In this week’s message, We look at an important reality in David’s life and how he embraced the truth of his brokenness. If we can discover how David embraced the brokenness in and around him, we can discover how God can use our brokenness to impact our lives in a positive way.
In this series, we are exploring the life and faith of David, the ancient King of Israel. We hope to discover through this series that Christianity isn’t an ethereal idea but applies to our real lives, decisions, and problems. In this week’s message, We look at how David navigated a difficult moment in his life. Our hope is that looking at how David navigated when things fell apart we can discover how we can navigate our lives in difficult moments as well.
In this series, we are exploring the life and faith of David, the ancient King of Israel. We hope to discover through this series that Christianity isn’t an ethereal idea but applies to our real lives, decisions, and problems. In this week’s message, we dig deeper into how Saul went from a compassionate King who trusted in God, to a power-hungry and abusive King. As we dig deeper into how Saul got there, we explore the reality of our own hearts and how the Gospel can help us navigate our propensity for self-deception.
In this series we are exploring the life and faith of David, the ancient King of Israel. We hope to discover through this series that Christianity isn’t an ethereal idea but applies to our real lives, decisions, and problems. In this week’s message we explore the Kingdom reality and how we can navigate the tension of living our lives in God’s Kingdom.
In this series, we are exploring the life and faith of David, the ancient King of Israel. We hope to discover through this series that Christianity isn’t an ethereal idea but applies to our real lives, decisions, and problems. In this week’s message, we see how David could have allowed real trauma and problems to define him and how He instead allowed the steadfast love of God to re-define him.
In a world that chases after status, Jesus came to show there is another way. Amidst the exhaustion and striving to show how important you are in this world, Jesus proclaims everyone in His Kingdom is already loved, important, valuable, special, and great! In this message, we discover that Jesus knew that our hearts were too “dead” to understand what His Kingdom is about. Jesus died to break the curse of the sin disease in our hearts and through His Spirit has given us the power to realize who we are in Him.
In this series, we are diving into one of the most incredible talks Jesus ever gave: “The Sermon on the Mount”. When Jesus arrived He knew that our attempts at lasting change, and growth don’t lead to the life we all strive for and He came to bring a brand new way of living. In this week's message, we close out the series and focus on how Jesus concluded His sermon. Jesus says some things pretty bluntly that can help us understand what Christianity is all about.
In this series, we are diving into one of the most incredible talks Jesus ever gave: “The Sermon on the Mount”. When Jesus arrived He knew that our attempts at lasting change and growth don’t lead to the life we all strive for and He came to bring a brand new way of living. In this week's message, we discover what Jesus says about walking with others in Community and how we can have deeper, more meaningful relationships in our lives.
In this series, we are diving into one of the most incredible talks Jesus ever gave: “The Sermon on the Mount”. When Jesus arrived He knew that our attempts at lasting change, and growth don’t lead to the life we all strive for and He came to bring a brand new way of living. In this week's message, we discover what Jesus has to say about Prayer. In the message, we see that Jesus acknowledges that sometimes prayer just does not work and He shows us a brand new way to pray that truly connects us to God.
In this series, we are diving into one of the most incredible talks Jesus ever gave: “The Sermon on the Mount”. When Jesus arrived He knew that our attempts at lasting change, and growth don’t lead to the life we all strive for and He came to bring a brand new way of living. In this week's message, we discover that Jesus acknowledges that money can have power over us, and how we can break that power.
In this series, we are diving into one of the most incredible talks Jesus ever gave: “The Sermon on the Mount”. When Jesus arrived He knew that our attempts at lasting change, and growth don’t lead to the life we all strive for and He came to bring a brand new way of living. In this week's message, we look at the part of Jesus’ sermon that talks about sex and sexuality. It’s a massive part of our lives and we hope to discover that the Christian view of sex is incredibly beautiful, powerful, and life-giving.
In this series, we are going to dive into one of the most incredible talks Jesus ever gave: “The Sermon on the Mount”. When Jesus arrived He knew that our attempts at lasting change and growth don’t lead to the life we all strive for. In this week’s message, we look at a small part of the Sermon Jesus gave and the freedom that comes when we allow the Gospel to deeply impact our heart.
In this series, we are going to dive into one of the most incredible talks Jesus ever gave: “The Sermon on the Mount”. When Jesus arrived He knew that our attempts at lasting change and growth don’t lead to the life we all strive for. In this week’s message, we discover that Jesus gave us a brand new way to navigate relationships, especially difficult ones.
In this series, we are going to dive into one of the most incredible talks Jesus ever gave: “The Sermon on the Mount”. When Jesus arrived He knew that our attempts at lasting change and growth don’t lead to the life we all strive for. In this week’s message, we look at how and why Jesus says that the Gospel is the better road to take over religious righteousness.
In this series, we are going to dive into one of the most incredible talks Jesus ever gave: “The Sermon on the Mount”. When Jesus arrived He knew that our attempts at lasting change and growth don’t lead to the life we all strive for. This seems to come up at the start of a new year when we set new resolutions to do and be better than the year before. In this week’s message, we are going to see that Jesus says His kingdom is completely different from religion, and how we can discover if we are standing on a foundation of the Gospel.
In this series, we are going to dive into one of the most incredible talks Jesus ever gave: “The Sermon on the Mount”. When Jesus arrived He knew that our attempts at lasting change, and growth don’t lead to the life we all strive for. This seems to come up at the start of a New Year when we set new resolutions to do and be better than the year before. In this week’s message, we ask the question: “If Jesus brought a new Kingdom, how do we practically live in it?”
Throughout History it seems that we have the desire to develop, grow, and make ourselves better, yet so often our attempts to do that fall short. It seems that most of our attempts to make ourselves and society better struggle to fix some of the fundamental problems that we wish we could change. In this series, we acknowledge this reality and discover that Christianity clearly teaches that Jesus knew that our attempts to change do not work so He came to bring us something brand new!
In this series, we discover a couple of areas where we tend to strive to find identity, peace, joy, comfort, and control. In this week’s series finale we ask the question: How do I live in God’s Kingdom instead of putting my hope and identity in my kingdom?
In this series, we discover a couple of areas where we can strive to find identity, peace, joy, comfort, and control. In this week’s message, we continue looking at how money and morality can become a defining factor in our lives and how Christianity offers an invitation to find the joy and security we are looking for in Christ and His Kingdom.
In this series, we discover a couple of areas where we can strive to find identity, peace, joy, comfort, and control. We begin this week by looking at how our money and morality both can become a defining factor in our lives and how Christianity offers an invitation to find what we are looking for in Christ and His Kingdom.
We live in a world where everything around us tries to label and define us. Oftentimes without realizing it, we accept the labels placed on us and they end up defining our lives and can keep us from being who God has made us to be. In this week’s message, We discover that Christianity clearly teaches that God is relentless in His pursuit of us, and wants us to live freely in the identity that He gives us.
We live in a world where everything around us tries to label and define us. Oftentimes without realizing it we accept the labels placed on us and they end up defining our lives and can keep us from being who God has made us to be. In this week’s message, We discover that Christianity clearly teaches that God calls us His children and how this has the power to change the way we see ourselves and how we relate to God.
We live in a world where everything around us tries to label and define us. Oftentimes without realizing it, we accept the labels placed on us and they end up defining our lives. and can keep us from being who God has made us to be. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that it is often easier to be defined by our sin disease instead of allowing what Christ has done for us to be the foundation that we stand on.
In this series, we are discovering what God calls us. Christianity teaches that God has a good, pleasing, and perfect will for our lives and wants to invite us to be defined by Christ and what He has done for us. In this week’s message, we look at five specific words that He calls us by and discover an invitation He gives us to step into a new identity.
In this series, we are going to discover what God calls us. Christianity teaches that God has a good, pleasing, and perfect will for our lives. In this week’s message, we look at something in our lives that can get in our way, without us knowing it, that leads us to see ourselves differently than God sees us.
We live in a world that bombards us with living for ourselves. When you combine this emphasis in culture with our own sin disease it makes it easy for us to forget, as Christians, what we should value most. In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul encourages his readers to realize that Jesus didn’t consider his own status as God something to live for, but rather Jesus chose to consider others, humble Himself, and serve...ultimately by giving His life away. In light of this, Paul encourages his readers to view their lives as a reenactment of Jesus’ life. In a world that values self, value serving.
In this week’s message, we discover a helpful tool that helps us discover thorns, weeds, and bad seeds that are choking out the Gospel in our hearts.
It seems that everywhere you look in our nation and culture you bump into many different opinions and stances, and it seems as if fighting for something is front and center of our lives. In this series, we want to discuss what RockPoint has decided to stand on, what we are fighting for, and who we are. In this week’s message, we look at one word in our mission statement that reminds us that we all have different stories, questions, experiences, and hurts. We want to be a safe community for anyone to discover, develop, and deepen a relationship with Jesus.
It seems that everywhere you look in our nation and culture you bump into many different opinions and stances, and it seems as if fighting for something is front and center of our lives. In this series, we want to discuss what RockPoint has decided to stand on, what we are fighting for, and who we are. In this week’s message, we look at our third filter and discover how the Gospel and discipleship can allow us to be safe enough for people who don’t like the Church to discover the Gospel in a real way.
It seems that everywhere you look in our nation and culture you bump into many different opinions and stances, and it seems as if fighting for something is front and center of our lives. In this series, we want to discuss what RockPoint has decided to stand on, what we are fighting for, and who we are. In this week’s message, we look at our third filter and discover how the Gospel and discipleship can allow us to be safe enough for people who don’t like the Church to discover the Gospel in a real way.
It seems that everywhere you look in our nation and culture you bump into many different opinions and stances, and it seems as if fighting for something is front and center of our lives. In this week’s message, we introduce you to the three filters or questions that we run everything we do as a church through. We have discovered that these questions help us make sure that what we are fighting for points back to our mission to be a safe community where anyone can discover, develop, and deepen a relationship with Jesus.
It seems that everywhere you look in our nation and culture you bump into many different opinions and stances, and it seems as if fighting for something is front and center of our lives. In this week’s message, we introduce you to the three filters or questions that we run everything we do as a church through. We have discovered that these questions help us make sure that what we are fighting for points back to our mission to be a safe community where anyone can discover, develop, and deepen a relationship with Jesus.
It seems that everywhere you look in our nation and culture you bump into many different opinions and stances, and it seems as if fighting for something is front and center of our lives. In this series, we want to take a few weeks to discuss what RockPoint has decided to stand on, what we are fighting for, and who we are. In this week’s message, we look at the tool RockPoint uses to stay on our mission, and how this tool can help you remember to set your mind on Jesus.
It seems that everywhere you look in our nation and culture you bump into many different opinions and stances, and it seems as if fighting for something is front and center of our lives. In this series, we want to take a few weeks to discuss what RockPoint has decided to stand on, what we are fighting for, and who we are. In this week’s message, we look at the tool RockPoint uses to stay on our mission, and how this tool can help you remember to set your mind on Jesus.
In life, it’s not a matter of if, but when we suffer hurts and wounds. So, if this is something everyone has to deal with, then how are we supposed to deal with it? What does God have to say about proper healing for the wounds and hurts we have in our life? In Psalms 27, David shows us how God wants us to handle and deal with these hurts and wounds.
In life, it’s not a matter of if, but when we suffer hurts and wounds. So, if this is something everyone has to deal with, then how are we supposed to deal with it? What does God have to say about proper healing for the wounds and hurts we have in our life? In Psalms 27, David shows us how God wants us to handle and deal with these hurts and wounds.
In this series, we hear from different staff members about what they are learning in their walk with God. In this week’s message, Rachel talks about what it really means to find rest.
In this series, we hear from different staff members about what they are learning in their walk with God. In this week’s message, Rebekah asks three questions, as well as how she has discovered that the answers to these questions are essential to life and identity.
In this series, we hear from different staff members about what they are learning in their walk with God. In this week’s message, Rebekah asks three questions, as well as how she has discovered that the answers to these questions are essential to life and identity.
Christianity teaches that from the very beginning, God intended for us to not only help but also need each other. In this week’s message, we discover that God intentionally created the Church to operate like a body. His Spirit empowers us with unique strengths and gifts to help us share God with others and find encouragement in a safe community.
Christianity teaches that from the very beginning, God intended for us to not only help but also need each other. In this week’s message, we discover that God intentionally created the Church to operate like a body. His Spirit empowers us with unique strengths and gifts to help us share God with others and find encouragement in a safe community.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, Paul concludes his letter by encouraging his readers to stand firm on the foundation of the Gospel and remember that the ability to stand comes from Christ alone.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, Paul concludes his letter by encouraging his readers to stand firm on the foundation of the Gospel and remember that the ability to stand comes from Christ alone.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we look at what Pauls says about the power and purpose of Marriage and how these ideas can have the potential to change our lives for the better.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we look at what Pauls says about the power and purpose of Marriage and how these ideas can have the potential to change our lives for the better.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we look at how the Gospel changes our perspective on parenting and how these ideas impact our other relationships as well.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we look at how the Gospel changes our perspective on parenting and how these ideas impact our other relationships as well.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we continue looking at what it practically looks like to walk from a place of first sitting with Christ. When we can look at these steps through the lens of the Gospel it brings so much clarity on what Paul is actually telling his readers.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we continue looking at what it practically looks like to walk from a place of first sitting with Christ. When we can look at these steps through the lens of the Gospel it brings so much clarity on what Paul is actually telling his readers.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that when we sit with Christ he not only gives us a new identity and a new nature, He actually puts His Spirit in us to transform and empower us.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that when we sit with Christ he not only gives us a new identity and a new nature, He actually puts His Spirit in us to transform and empower us.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we continue to read the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians and how his letter clearly describes what Christianity meant for them and what it means for us today.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we continue to read the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians and how his letter clearly describes what Christianity meant for them and what it means for us today.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we look at Paul’s motive for writing the letter and an overview of the document to better understand Christianity.
Christianity offers us an incredible opportunity to read documents written by people who knew Jesus. They wrote first-hand accounts of what Jesus said and what He did. In this series, we are reading a letter written to the Ephesians by a guy named Paul. In this week’s message, we look at Paul’s motive for writing the letter and an overview of the document to better understand Christianity.
In this series, we dive into a beautiful and powerful description of what Christianity is and how it impacts our lives through a letter Paul wrote that is found in the book of Ephesians. In this week’s message, we go back and look at the history of Ephesus and how the context of what was happening in their culture brings clarity to what Christianity meant to them then, and how it can bring clarity to what Christianity means for our lives today.
In this week’s message, we look at two events that happened in the life of Jesus that changed the faith of those who were a part of the story. These events point to an idea that, if we engage in it, has the ability to change the way we see Jesus, can grow our faith, and allow us to be a part of someone’s story in incredible ways.
In this week’s message, we look at two events that happened in the life of Jesus that changed the faith of those who were a part of the story. These events point to an idea that, if we engage in it, has the ability to change the way we see Jesus, can grow our faith, and allow us to be a part of someone’s story in incredible ways.
In the weeks leading up to Easter, we are diving into an important reality that is often forgotten, yet it’s so important for our ability to understand and experience a relationship with God. In this week’s message, We look at what happens when someone is born of the Spirit, and what the Holy Spirit does in and for us.
In the weeks leading up to Easter, we are diving into an important reality that is often forgotten, yet it’s so important for our ability to understand and experience a relationship with God. In this week’s message, We look at what happens when someone is born of the Spirit, and what the Holy Spirit does in and for us.
Over the next couple of weeks as we lead up to Easter we are diving into an important reality that is often forgotten, yet it’s so important for our ability to understand and experience a relationship with God. In this week’s message, we go on a journey to discover that the Holy Spirit has been a helper to God’s people from the very beginning, and what it means for us as we walk out our faith.
Over the next couple of weeks as we lead up to Easter we are diving into an important reality that is often forgotten, yet it’s so important for our ability to understand and experience a relationship with God. In this week’s message, we go on a journey to discover that the Holy Spirit has been a helper to God’s people from the very beginning, and what it means for us as we walk out our faith.
In this series, we have looked at the reality that we all seem to know that there are things in our lives that need to change, and we have a desire to grow and become better versions of ourselves. In this week’s message, we wrap up the series by discovering who the Holy Spirit is, how He helps us change at the core of who we are, and how he helps us grow in our faith.
In this series, we have looked at the reality that we all seem to know that there are things in our lives that need to change, and we have a desire to grow and become better versions of ourselves. In this week’s message, we wrap up the series by discovering who the Holy Spirit is, how He helps us change at the core of who we are, and how he helps us grow in our faith.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. In this week’s message, we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. In this week’s message, we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. In this week’s message, we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. In this week’s message, we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. In this week’s message, we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. In this week’s message, we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. In this week’s message, we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. In this week’s message, we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. This week’s message explores what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. This week’s message explores what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. In this week’s message we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that there are areas in our life that need to change. In this week’s message we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that areas in our life need to change. In this week’s message, we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We seem to know that areas in our life need to change. In this week’s message, we explore what Christianity teaches, not about how we can change ourselves, but how we can lean into how God changes us.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We make decisions in order to change and grow ourselves and while the idea is great, the resolutions we set tend to fail 90% of the time. In this series, we look at what Christianity teaches about how God changes us and how it brings us the life and hope we long for.
At the beginning of a New Year, we tend to look at the areas of our lives that we want to change and grow in. We make decisions in order to change and grow ourselves and while the idea is great, the resolutions we set tend to fail 90% of the time. In this series, we look at what Christianity teaches about how God changes us and how it brings us the life and hope we long for.
So often people set New Year’s Resolutions at the beginning of the New Year. There is something about the beginning that tends to spark thoughts in us about what we want to do differently in the new year. We can tend to see our flaws, acknowledge our weaknesses, and want to find ways to change ourselves. In this week’s message, we talk about the reality of New Year’s Resolutions and take time to reflect on the idea that we don’t have what it takes to truly change, and the solution Christianity offers us instead.
So often people set New Year’s Resolutions at the beginning of the New Year. There is something about the beginning that tends to spark thoughts in us about what we want to do differently in the new year. We can tend to see our flaws, acknowledge our weaknesses, and want to find ways to change ourselves. In this week’s message, we talk about the reality of New Year’s Resolutions and take time to reflect on the idea that we don’t have what it takes to truly change, and the solution Christianity offers us instead.
In this series, we are asking: why the arrival of a child born in Bethlehem is such a big deal in our world, not just historically, but still a big deal today? In this week’s message, we look at a letter John wrote that speaks to questions that people who are exploring faith ask, and a significant insecurity religious people experience: “Can I be confident that I have eternal life? And am I in right standing with God?”
In this series, we are asking: why the arrival of a child born in Bethlehem is such a big deal in our world, not just historically, but still a big deal today? In this week’s message, we look at a letter John wrote that speaks to questions that people who are exploring faith ask, and a significant insecurity religious people experience: “Can I be confident that I have eternal life? And am I in right standing with God?”
The arrival of Jesus changed the world forever. In this week’s message, we are looking at the Christmas story through the eyes of the first generation of people. When we look at it through their eyes we can see the deep impact of what happened on that first Christmas and how it impacts our lives today.
The arrival of Jesus changed the world forever. In this week’s message, we are looking at the Christmas story through the eyes of the first generation of people. When we look at it through their eyes we can see the deep impact of what happened on that first Christmas and how it impacts our lives today.
The arrival of Jesus on the first Christmas changed the world so much and people around the world celebrate it through the Advent season. In this series, we look at both the old and new testament through the words of the prophets before Jesus’ arrival, and letters written by the Apostles that show what they saw Jesus do and what they heard Him say. We will discover that everything written in the Bible points to Jesus and how Advent invites us to discover more deeply the wonder of what He has done for us.
The arrival of Jesus on the first Christmas changed the world so much and people around the world celebrate it through the Advent season. In this series, we look at both the old and new testament through the words of the prophets before Jesus’ arrival, and letters written by the Apostles that show what they saw Jesus do and what they heard Him say. We will discover that everything written in the Bible points to Jesus and how Advent invites us to discover more deeply the wonder of what He has done for us.
We live in a world where relationships are meaningful, they are a massive part of our lives and we long to navigate them in good and healthy ways. In this week’s message, we look at how gratitude toward others impacts our relationships and how Christianity gives us what we need in order to live this out.
We live in a world where relationships are meaningful, they are a massive part of our lives and we long to navigate them in good and healthy ways. In this week’s message, we look at how gratitude toward others impacts our relationships and how Christianity gives us what we need in order to live this out.
Relationships are an important part of our lives and we all desire to navigate them in healthy ways. In this week’s message, we look at an important idea Christianity offers us so that we are not defined by the bad behavior of others and what it practically looks like in our relationships.
Relationships are an important part of our lives and we all desire to navigate them in healthy ways. In this week’s message, we look at an important idea Christianity offers us so that we are not defined by the bad behavior of others and what it practically looks like in our relationships.
In this series, we are talking all about relationships and how we navigate them. We are confronted with many different types of relationships that impact us differently. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that sometimes we do everything we can to make our relationships healthy but the other person doesn’t budge, and how Christianity clearly protects and empowers you to navigate painful and difficult situations.
In this series, we are talking all about relationships and how we navigate them. We are confronted with many different types of relationships that impact us differently. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that sometimes we do everything we can to make our relationships healthy but the other person doesn’t budge, and how Christianity clearly protects and empowers you to navigate painful and difficult situations.
We live in a world where relationships are important, they are a huge part of our lives and we long for them to be good and healthy. In this week’s message, We discover what Christianity says about communication and how we can communicate in a way that brings life to our relationships.
We live in a world where relationships are important, they are a huge part of our lives and we long for them to be good and healthy. In this week’s message, We discover what Christianity says about communication and how we can communicate in a way that brings life to our relationships.
We live in a world where relationships are important, they are a huge part of our lives and we long for them to be good and healthy. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that we often morph into a different version of ourselves when we bump into conflict and the hope and help Christianity offers when we do.
We live in a world where relationships are important, they are a huge part of our lives and we long for them to be good and healthy. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that we often morph into a different version of ourselves when we bump into conflict and the hope and help Christianity offers when we do.
In this series, we are talking all about relationships and how we navigate them. We are confronted with many different types of relationships that impact us differently. In this week’s message, we look at what Christianity says about relationships, the expectations that naturally come with them, and how we can navigate them in a life-giving way.
In this series, we are talking all about relationships and how we navigate them. We are confronted with many different types of relationships that impact us differently. In this week’s message, we look at what Christianity says about relationships, the expectations that naturally come with them, and how we can navigate them in a life-giving way.
In our world, we seem to prioritize direct communication with others because it appears to be the most efficient way to convey what we need to say. While direct communication can be important for conveying information, we can also learn from more subtle forms of communication, like storytelling. In Jesus’ day, He used a form of storytelling called parables as a tool to let people know the work that he was doing. In this week’s message, we look at several parables Jesus told and the practical steps we can take to help us understand how they apply to our lives today.
In our world, we seem to prioritize direct communication with others because it appears to be the most efficient way to convey what we need to say. While direct communication can be important for conveying information, we can also learn from more subtle forms of communication, like storytelling. In Jesus’ day, He used a form of storytelling called parables as a tool to let people know the work that he was doing. In this week’s message, we look at several parables Jesus told and the practical steps we can take to help us understand how they apply to our lives today.
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves. In this series, we have looked at the reality that it is impossible to prove scientifically that God exists, which is something that churches sometimes struggle to admit. When people bump into this reality they start to question God. In this week’s message we end the series by asking the question: Now that we have looked at important needs humans have through an Atheistic and Christian worldview and if everything we looked at is true: “Now What?”
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves. In this series, we have looked at the reality that it is impossible to prove scientifically that God exists, which is something that churches sometimes struggle to admit. When people bump into this reality they start to question God. In this week’s message we end the series by asking the question: Now that we have looked at important needs humans have through an Atheistic and Christian worldview and if everything we looked at is true: “Now What?”
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves. We all long for happiness, meaning, and a sense of purpose in our lives. In this week’s message, we continue to look at the Atheistic and Christian worldviews and ask: What do these two worldviews say about our need for hope?
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves. We all long for happiness, meaning, and a sense of purpose in our lives. In this week’s message, we continue to look at the Atheistic and Christian worldviews and ask: What do these two worldviews say about our need for hope?
There is something in us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves. We seem to all have a fundamental need to find meaning, satisfaction, and happiness in our lives. In this week’s message, we look at the question of morality through the Atheistic and Christian worldview and ask these questions: why do we as humans believe we should do good, and why do we believe we should live up to a certain standard?
There is something in us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves. We seem to all have a fundamental need to find meaning, satisfaction, and happiness in our lives. In this week’s message, we look at the question of morality through the Atheistic and Christian worldview and ask these questions: why do we as humans believe we should do good, and why do we believe we should live up to a certain standard?
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves. We all have fundamental needs to find meaning, happiness, and satisfaction in life. In this week’s message, we continue this series by looking at the worldview that says there is no God and the worldview that says there is a God and then compare what they say about our need for a secure sense of self.
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves. We all have fundamental needs to find meaning, happiness, and satisfaction in life. In this week’s message, we continue this series by looking at the worldview that says there is no God and the worldview that says there is a God and then compare what they say about our need for a secure sense of self.
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves, and yet we live in a world where there are prominent atheist celebrities and authors who boldly say “There is no God.” There are people who grew up in church and when they bump into big questions, or tragedies they find themselves questioning God’s existence and sometimes walk away from the faith. In this week’s message, we continue the series by looking at an Atheist and Christian worldview and asking: If God is good, How can He allow evil and suffering in the world?
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves, and yet we live in a world where there are prominent atheist celebrities and authors who boldly say “There is no God.” There are people who grew up in church and when they bump into big questions, or tragedies they find themselves questioning God’s existence and sometimes walk away from the faith. In this week’s message, we continue the series by looking at an Atheist and Christian worldview and asking: If God is good, How can He allow evil and suffering in the world?
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves, yet we live in a culture that questions if God exists or not. Some people have grown up in a Church or family that says don’t question God, and the problem with that is it often leads to weak faith. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that we all need meaning and purpose in life. Meaning is incredibly important and we want to compare what those who don’t believe God exists say about meaning, what Christianity teaches about meaning, and how each theory works in our everyday lives.
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves, yet we live in a culture that questions if God exists or not. Some people have grown up in a Church or family that says don’t question God, and the problem with that is it often leads to weak faith. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that we all need meaning and purpose in life. Meaning is incredibly important and we want to compare what those who don’t believe God exists say about meaning, what Christianity teaches about meaning, and how each theory works in our everyday lives.
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves. In this series, we will ask important questions essential to life and faith. In this week’s message, we begin the conversation by asking: Can we reasonably believe that God exists? In other words in a world where we can’t see God can we believe He is there?
There is something in all of us that yearns for something bigger than ourselves. In this series, we will ask important questions essential to life and faith. In this week’s message, we begin the conversation by asking: Can we reasonably believe that God exists? In other words in a world where we can’t see God can we believe He is there?
There is something in all of us that wants to become better versions of ourselves. We want healthy relationships, help growing in our faith, understanding ourselves, and navigating life. In this week’s message, we look at the life of David, a man after God’s own heart, and yet his heart deceived him and led him down the wrong road. In the story, we are invited to look at our own hearts and see why having the right people around us is so important.
There is something in all of us that wants to become better versions of ourselves. We want healthy relationships, help growing in our faith, understanding ourselves, and navigating life. In this week’s message, we look at the life of David, a man after God’s own heart, and yet his heart deceived him and led him down the wrong road. In the story, we are invited to look at our own hearts and see why having the right people around us is so important.
There seems to be a natural pull in local churches to start out fighting for the purity of the mission and the purpose of the Church, to be all about God and people. Oftentimes the mission is polluted when the Church begins to focus on success and security over what Jesus has called them to. In this week’s message, we look at how Jesus focused more on the heart of individuals over growing crowds, and how His example helps clarify what we should be fighting for, making disciples.
There seems to be a natural pull in local churches to start out fighting for the purity of the mission and the purpose of the Church, to be all about God and people. Oftentimes the mission is polluted when the Church begins to focus on success and security over what Jesus has called them to. In this week’s message, we look at how Jesus focused more on the heart of individuals over growing crowds, and how His example helps clarify what we should be fighting for, making disciples.
When religious and non-religious people focus on politics, law, and the justice system, they are often blinded to the complexity of it all. People often feel that politics, religion, and the law of the land can solve the things of the heart. In this message, we look at how Jesus navigated His day's political, religious, and legal realities, and how following Him can help us navigate them in our day.
When religious and non-religious people focus on politics, law, and the justice system, they are often blinded to the complexity of it all. People often feel that politics, religion, and the law of the land can solve the things of the heart. In this message, we look at how Jesus navigated His day's political, religious, and legal realities, and how following Him can help us navigate them in our day.
Looking around culture it seems that we are all drawn to a good before and after story. We can see stories like this in less than an hour on our favorite home renovation series. We love shows like this because it highlights the mess a house was in and the amazing transformation after the project is complete. In this week’s message, we look at a “before and after” story found in scripture, how it invites us to look for the “before and after” in our own story, and how we can share the hope of Jesus with those around us.
Looking around culture it seems that we are all drawn to a good before and after story. We can see stories like this in less than an hour on our favorite home renovation series. We love shows like this because it highlights the mess a house was in and the amazing transformation after the project is complete. In this week’s message, we look at a “before and after” story found in scripture, how it invites us to look for the “before and after” in our own story, and how we can share the hope of Jesus with those around us.
The hope of restoration breathes hope into every broken story we face. There is hope beyond this broken world and beyond our broken stories. We see this hope in a God who doesn’t walk away from our mess, instead, He draws near to our brokenness. In this week’s message we look at the idea that if the hope of restoration breathes hope into every broken story we face, we must address the reality that we still have to face the mess and the broken stories yet to come.
The hope of restoration breathes hope into every broken story we face. There is hope beyond this broken world and beyond our broken stories. We see this hope in a God who doesn’t walk away from our mess, instead, He draws near to our brokenness. In this week’s message we look at the idea that if the hope of restoration breathes hope into every broken story we face, we must address the reality that we still have to face the mess and the broken stories yet to come.
Sharing our stories with others is so impactful. Something about our stories, even in the broken pieces, helps us empathize with one another. Our stories help us find meaning in our lives and the things we walk through. In this week’s message, we discover that God never walks away from the broken parts of our story and He invites us into the hope of restoration.
Sharing our stories with others is so impactful. Something about our stories, even in the broken pieces, helps us empathize with one another. Our stories help us find meaning in our lives and the things we walk through. In this week’s message, we discover that God never walks away from the broken parts of our story and He invites us into the hope of restoration.
Whenever Jesus talked about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. Jesus described God as a good, kind, just, and gracious King that invites us to enter into the joy of His Kingdom, both now in our lives, and ultimately one day when we die. In this week’s message, we discover the joy we find living in His Kingdom.
Whenever Jesus talked about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. Jesus described God as a good, kind, just, and gracious King that invites us to enter into the joy of His Kingdom, both now in our lives, and ultimately one day when we die. In this week’s message, we discover the joy we find living in His Kingdom.
Whenever Jesus spoke about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. He knew that deep down we are all looking for someone or something to fulfill us, something that gives us value, so He called it a Kingdom and invited us to find our value in Him. In this week’s message, we discover that God answers this question that we all seem to ask: Is there something worth leveraging your life for - something or someone that will always want you? Is there something that outweighs the cost, the dedication, and the sacrifice it takes to obtain it?
Whenever Jesus spoke about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. He knew that deep down we are all looking for someone or something to fulfill us, something that gives us value, so He called it a Kingdom and invited us to find our value in Him. In this week’s message, we discover that God answers this question that we all seem to ask: Is there something worth leveraging your life for - something or someone that will always want you? Is there something that outweighs the cost, the dedication, and the sacrifice it takes to obtain it?
Whenever Jesus spoke about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. In this week’s message we look at an important reality for individuals, the church, and those that struggle with Christianity. Jesus speaks about a dynamic in us that wants to build our own Kingdom and the reality that sometimes we use Jesus as a tool to build our kingdom instead of surrendering to the life found in His.
Whenever Jesus spoke about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. In this week’s message we look at an important reality for individuals, the church, and those that struggle with Christianity. Jesus speaks about a dynamic in us that wants to build our own Kingdom and the reality that sometimes we use Jesus as a tool to build our kingdom instead of surrendering to the life found in His.
Whenever Jesus talked about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. In this series, we’ve been looking at what it means to live in His Kingdom here on earth, while we look forward to the hope of His Kingdom in Heaven. In this week’s message, we look at what it looks like to navigate the brokenness of this world and ask the question: If God is good, why doesn’t he remove the evil in our world?
Whenever Jesus talked about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. In this series, we’ve been looking at what it means to live in His Kingdom here on earth, while we look forward to the hope of His Kingdom in Heaven. In this week’s message, we look at what it looks like to navigate the brokenness of this world and ask the question: If God is good, why doesn’t he remove the evil in our world?
Whenever Jesus spoke about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. In last week’s message, we looked at a story Jesus told that described the message of the Kingdom like a seed that has life in it. In this week’s message, we continue looking at the story of the seed and ask this important question: If the message of the kingdom has the power to change my life, then why am I not changing?
Whenever Jesus spoke about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. In last week’s message, we looked at a story Jesus told that described the message of the Kingdom like a seed that has life in it. In this week’s message, we continue looking at the story of the seed and ask this important question: If the message of the kingdom has the power to change my life, then why am I not changing?
Whenever Jesus spoke about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. Looking at Christianity through the lens of a Kingdom allows us to see Jesus as a gracious, kind, self-sacrificing King who invites us into the life and hope that is found in His Kingdom. In this week’s message, we look at something Jesus says that speaks to those who believe in Him, and those who struggle to believe if His Kingdom is real.
Whenever Jesus spoke about Christianity, He called it a Kingdom. Looking at Christianity through the lens of a Kingdom allows us to see Jesus as a gracious, kind, self-sacrificing King who invites us into the life and hope that is found in His Kingdom. In this week’s message, we look at something Jesus says that speaks to those who believe in Him, and those who struggle to believe if His Kingdom is real.
Whenever Jesus spoke about what Christianity looks like and what living out faith and the invitation to grace, He called it a Kingdom. Jesus calling it a Kingdom provides an easy question to ask every time we bump into a version of Christianity that feels nothing like Jesus: Whose kingdom is this? We can even ask ourselves is this my kingdom or God’s Kingdom? In this week’s message, we look at the culture of God’s Kingdom and how it can positively impact anyone who comes in contact with it.
Whenever Jesus spoke about what Christianity looks like and what living out faith and the invitation to grace, He called it a Kingdom. Jesus calling it a Kingdom provides an easy question to ask every time we bump into a version of Christianity that feels nothing like Jesus: Whose kingdom is this? We can even ask ourselves is this my kingdom or God’s Kingdom? In this week’s message, we look at the culture of God’s Kingdom and how it can positively impact anyone who comes in contact with it.
Whenever Jesus seemed to talk about what Christianity looked like He called it a Kingdom. Jesus taught that life, hope, meaning, purpose, joy, and peace can be found in His Kingdom. In this week’s message we ask the question: If Jesus called it a Kingdom, how do we enter it? We discover that Jesus answers this question clearly in a few different ways, and when put together we see how we can experience the life, hope, and peace that comes from living in His Kingdom.
Whenever Jesus seemed to talk about what Christianity looked like He called it a Kingdom. Jesus taught that life, hope, meaning, purpose, joy, and peace can be found in His Kingdom. In this week’s message we ask the question: If Jesus called it a Kingdom, how do we enter it? We discover that Jesus answers this question clearly in a few different ways, and when put together we see how we can experience the life, hope, and peace that comes from living in His Kingdom.
Our understanding of God is so important because so often without realizing it our view of God can be flawed based on our upbringing, culture, or church experiences. The God Jesus knows is a God that is good, trustworthy, generous, and unconditionally loving. In this series, we will be asking important questions people tend to ask whether they’ve put their faith in Jesus, or just wondering what Christianity is all about. The questions we are asking are: If I’ve discovered the God Jesus knows and I’ve placed my faith in Him, now what? How does faith impact my life? Or what does it mean to be a Christian and is it more than just being forgiven and going to heaven one day?
Our understanding of God is so important because so often without realizing it our view of God can be flawed based on our upbringing, culture, or church experiences. The God Jesus knows is a God that is good, trustworthy, generous, and unconditionally loving. In this series, we will be asking important questions people tend to ask whether they’ve put their faith in Jesus, or just wondering what Christianity is all about. The questions we are asking are: If I’ve discovered the God Jesus knows and I’ve placed my faith in Him, now what? How does faith impact my life? Or what does it mean to be a Christian and is it more than just being forgiven and going to heaven one day?
Social media, news outlets, talk radio, and politics seem to be in the business of creating enemies in our lives even without us knowing it. Most people don’t need to look to outside sources to know that they have someone in their life that they just don’t like or hate. In this message, we look to the story of Jonah to help us answer this question: What does God think about my enemies, and how should I respond based on what He thinks?
Social media, news outlets, talk radio, and politics seem to be in the business of creating enemies in our lives even without us knowing it. Most people don’t need to look to outside sources to know that they have someone in their life that they just don’t like or hate. In this message, we look to the story of Jonah to help us answer this question: What does God think about my enemies, and how should I respond based on what He thinks?
In this series, we have discovered that the God Jesus knows is not mad at us when we sin because of what Jesus has done for us, and we have asked ourselves: “Have I accepted what He has done for me?” In this week’s message, we ask one more important question: "If I have put my faith in Christ and He has changed me from the inside, then why am I still struggling with the problem of sin?"
In this series, we have discovered that the God Jesus knows is not mad at us when we sin because of what Jesus has done for us, and we have asked ourselves: “Have I accepted what He has done for me?” In this week’s message, we ask one more important question: "If I have put my faith in Christ and He has changed me from the inside, then why am I still struggling with the problem of sin?"
Christianity teaches that one of the primary reasons Jesus came to earth was to give us a clear picture of who God is. In this series, we have discovered that our standing with God has nothing to do with our sin and has everything to do with what Jesus has done for us. In this week’s message, we ask the question: If God isn’t impacted by our sin because of what Jesus has done, then what do we do with the scriptures that tell us how we should live?
Christianity teaches that one of the primary reasons Jesus came to earth was to give us a clear picture of who God is. In this series, we have discovered that our standing with God has nothing to do with our sin and has everything to do with what Jesus has done for us. In this week’s message, we ask the question: If God isn’t impacted by our sin because of what Jesus has done, then what do we do with the scriptures that tell us how we should live?
Whenever we bump into an idea about God we can ask the question: Is this consistent with the God that Jesus knows? In this week’s message we look at the idea that there is something wrong with our human nature, and if God is real then somehow we don’t measure up. The God Jesus knows actually offers an incredible solution to both problems yet there is something in us that gets in the way of accepting His solution.
Whenever we bump into an idea about God we can ask the question: Is this consistent with the God that Jesus knows? In this week’s message we look at the idea that there is something wrong with our human nature, and if God is real then somehow we don’t measure up. The God Jesus knows actually offers an incredible solution to both problems yet there is something in us that gets in the way of accepting His solution.
Whenever we bump into an idea about God we can ask the question: Is this consistent with the God that Jesus knows? In this week’s message we look at the idea that there is something wrong with our human nature, and if God is real then somehow we don’t measure up. The God Jesus knows actually offers an incredible solution to both problems yet there is something in us that gets in the way of accepting His solution.
Whenever we bump into an idea about God we can ask the question: Is this consistent with the God that Jesus knows? Jesus makes it clear that God is good, trustworthy, generous, and unconditionally loving. In this week’s message, we look at who God is and how that fits in with the problem of corruption, and the problem of pollution.
Whenever we bump into an idea about God we can ask the question: Is this consistent with the God that Jesus knows? Jesus makes it clear that God is good, trustworthy, generous, and unconditionally loving. In this week’s message, we look at who God is and how that fits in with the problem of corruption, and the problem of pollution.
There are so many ideas that we have about who God is. These ideas are often shaped by our own experiences, the world around us, and what others have said about God. In the series, “The God Jesus Knows” we discovered that God is good, generous, trustworthy, and loves unconditionally. We discovered this by asking the question: Is my understanding of God consistent with the God Jesus knows? In part 2 of this series we are asking an important question: If God is good, generous, trustworthy, and loves unconditionally, then why does He have a problem with sin?
There are so many ideas that we have about who God is. These ideas are often shaped by our own experiences, the world around us, and what others have said about God. In the series, “The God Jesus Knows” we discovered that God is good, generous, trustworthy, and loves unconditionally. We discovered this by asking the question: Is my understanding of God consistent with the God Jesus knows? In part 2 of this series we are asking an important question: If God is good, generous, trustworthy, and loves unconditionally, then why does He have a problem with sin?
Our human nature tends to want to build platforms for ourselves, our opinions, and our stances. The world around us teaches us to build a platform we can stand on and Social Media makes this easy for us to do. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that the platform that impacts us the most is the one that’s in our hearts and we look at the only Platform that Jesus stood on and the hope that He brings for our hearts.
Our human nature tends to want to build platforms for ourselves, our opinions, and our stances. The world around us teaches us to build a platform we can stand on and Social Media makes this easy for us to do. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that the platform that impacts us the most is the one that’s in our hearts and we look at the only Platform that Jesus stood on and the hope that He brings for our hearts.
There are so many ideas about God that we have grown up with and those ideas impact everything around us. In this series, we’ve been looking at some narratives about God that we tell ourselves and compare them to the God Jesus knows. In this week’s message, we discover that the God Jesus knows loves to give generously and there is nothing we can do to earn what He loves to give us.
There are so many ideas about God that we have grown up with and those ideas impact everything around us. In this series, we’ve been looking at some narratives about God that we tell ourselves and compare them to the God Jesus knows. In this week’s message, we discover that the God Jesus knows loves to give generously and there is nothing we can do to earn what He loves to give us.
We all have ideas about who God is, who we are, and how God interacts with us. The ideas that we have about God impact who we are, how we see others, and how we live. In this week’s message, we look at another idea that impacts people’s faith in God by asking the question: How does our sin affect God’s love for us? And how does our understanding of God compare to the God that Jesus knows?
We all have ideas about who God is, who we are, and how God interacts with us. The ideas that we have about God impact who we are, how we see others, and how we live. In this week’s message, we look at another idea that impacts people’s faith in God by asking the question: How does our sin affect God’s love for us? And how does our understanding of God compare to the God that Jesus knows?
So often our perspective of God is not defined by discovering what Jesus has to say about who God is. For most people, the perspective of God is defined by life experiences, thoughts, and the opinions of others. In this week’s message, we continue to look at the reality that we often have an image of who God is and we discover that the God Jesus knows is a trustworthy Father.
So often our perspective of God is not defined by discovering what Jesus has to say about who God is. For most people, the perspective of God is defined by life experiences, thoughts, and the opinions of others. In this week’s message, we continue to look at the reality that we often have an image of who God is and we discover that the God Jesus knows is a trustworthy Father.
We all have ideas about who God is, who we are, and how God interacts with us. The ideas that we have about God impact who we are, how we see others, and how we live. In this week’s message, we look at the belief that God is an angry judge and we ask the question: “How does this belief compare to the God that Jesus knows?”
We all have ideas about who God is, who we are, and how God interacts with us. The ideas that we have about God impact who we are, how we see others, and how we live. In this week’s message, we look at the belief that God is an angry judge and we ask the question: “How does this belief compare to the God that Jesus knows?”
The beginning of a New Year triggers something inside us that wants to grow so that we can become better versions of ourselves. In this series we will look at the reality that even with the desire to change, we struggle to do so and how discovering the God that Jesus knows and who He says we are can bring about the change we so often desire.
The beginning of a New Year triggers something inside us that wants to grow so that we can become better versions of ourselves. In this series we will look at the reality that even with the desire to change, we struggle to do so and how discovering the God that Jesus knows and who He says we are can bring about the change we so often desire.
The Old Testament points to a massive theme that one day God would send a Messiah to become the atonement for sin and reconcile His people back to Himself. In this week’s message, we look at something a guy named Micah wrote 700 years before Jesus was born and how his message relates to the Christmas story.
The Old Testament points to a massive theme that one day God would send a Messiah to become the atonement for sin and reconcile His people back to Himself. In this week’s message, we look at something a guy named Micah wrote 700 years before Jesus was born and how his message relates to the Christmas story.
The Old Testament points to a massive theme that one day God would send a Messiah to become the atonement for sin and reconcile His people back to Himself. In this series, we look at what the Prophets said about the Messiah hundreds of years before He was born and the incredible plan of Christmas that God had for His people.
The Old Testament points to a massive theme that one day God would send a Messiah to become the atonement for sin and reconcile His people back to Himself. In this series, we look at what the Prophets said about the Messiah hundreds of years before He was born and the incredible plan of Christmas that God had for His people.
When teenagers were asked the question: “What do you think is the biggest issue teens are facing?” The overwhelming answer was anxiety and depression. In this message, Justin Park introduces the idea that people aren’t really looking for less anxiety, they are looking for more peace and how remembering God’s goodness can help us find real peace in the midst of anxiety.
When teenagers were asked the question: “What do you think is the biggest issue teens are facing?” The overwhelming answer was anxiety and depression. In this message, Justin Park introduces the idea that people aren’t really looking for less anxiety, they are looking for more peace and how remembering God’s goodness can help us find real peace in the midst of anxiety.
In this series, we have acknowledged that everyone questions and doubts the realities of Christianity and that it is important that we don’t just throw those doubts and questions aside. In this week’s message, we end the series by looking at what Jesus said about Himself and the incredible implications it has if He is who He says He is.
In this series, we have acknowledged that everyone questions and doubts the realities of Christianity and that it is important that we don’t just throw those doubts and questions aside. In this week’s message, we end the series by looking at what Jesus said about Himself and the incredible implications it has if He is who He says He is.
So often when people have questions and doubts the modern church tends to become defensive. Jesus wasn’t defensive when met with questions and doubts, rather invited people in. In this week’s message, we look at the credibility of the eyewitness accounts of Jesus and ask ourselves: “Can we believe what they said?”
So often when people have questions and doubts the modern church tends to become defensive. Jesus wasn’t defensive when met with questions and doubts, rather invited people in. In this week’s message, we look at the credibility of the eyewitness accounts of Jesus and ask ourselves: “Can we believe what they said?”
In this week’s message, Amber Smith shares her personal experience with doubt. Doubt is a topic that isn’t often addressed by the church and can easily be misunderstood. When we look in the gospels we see how Jesus responded to the doubts his disciples had and how that response offers an invitation that extends to all of us.
In this week’s message, Amber Smith shares her personal experience with doubt. Doubt is a topic that isn’t often addressed by the church and can easily be misunderstood. When we look in the gospels we see how Jesus responded to the doubts his disciples had and how that response offers an invitation that extends to all of us.
In this week’s message, Jeremy Beeler shares three big truths that have shaped his story and something that he still wrestles with today.
In this week’s message, Jeremy Beeler shares three big truths that have shaped his story and something that he still wrestles with today.
In this series we have been looking at the reality that Christianity can be experienced, portrayed, or lived in two rooms: “The Room Of Good Intentions or The Room Of Grace.” In this week’s message, we look at the idea that when we read the Bible through the lens of the two rooms it either hurts us or helps us in our faith.
In this series we have been looking at the reality that Christianity can be experienced, portrayed, or lived in two rooms: “The Room Of Good Intentions or The Room Of Grace.” In this week’s message, we look at the idea that when we read the Bible through the lens of the two rooms it either hurts us or helps us in our faith.
In this series, we have been talking about the two rooms and the reality that Christianity is often portrayed or experienced in two very distinctive places. One is life-changing and brings out the best in us, and the other brings out the worst in us. In this week’s message, we continue to talk about the “Room of Grace” and ask the question: How do we get there?
In this series, we have been talking about the two rooms and the reality that Christianity is often portrayed or experienced in two very distinctive places. One is life-changing and brings out the best in us, and the other brings out the worst in us. In this week’s message, we continue to talk about the “Room of Grace” and ask the question: How do we get there?
In this series, we are talking about the two rooms that Christianity is so often experienced in or portrayed as. In this week’s message, we take a deeper look at why the Room of Grace actually works and how Jesus makes it possible for us to actually live in grace.
In this series, we are talking about the two rooms that Christianity is so often experienced in or portrayed as. In this week’s message, we take a deeper look at why the Room of Grace actually works and how Jesus makes it possible for us to actually live in grace.
Christianity teaches that we are born with a broken human nature. In this week’s message, we look at what happens in our hearts, relationships, and faith when we wear masks to self preserve the things we don’t want God or others to see.
Christianity teaches that we are born with a broken human nature. In this week’s message, we look at what happens in our hearts, relationships, and faith when we wear masks to self preserve the things we don’t want God or others to see.
There are two ways that Christianity is portrayed and experienced in our world and even in our churches. In this Series we look at the two ways or two rooms if you will, that we find ourselves being invited into and which room we live in.
There are two ways that Christianity is portrayed and experienced in our world and even in our churches. In this Series we look at the two ways or two rooms if you will, that we find ourselves being invited into and which room we live in.
In this week’s message we look at what “growing faith” looks like in our lives and how it often requires a step out of our comfort zones and a willingness to rely on God to do what only He can do.
In this week’s message we look at what “growing faith” looks like in our lives and how it often requires a step out of our comfort zones and a willingness to rely on God to do what only He can do.
There is something in all of us that craves healthy and effective change and yet in other ways we fear, resist or can’t maintain it. In this message, we look at the unhealthy and healthy motivations we have to change and how God’s love for us can offer healthy change.
There is something in all of us that craves healthy and effective change and yet in other ways we fear, resist or can’t maintain it. In this message, we look at the unhealthy and healthy motivations we have to change and how God’s love for us can offer healthy change.
In this week’s message we look at a sequence of events in the life of Jesus and His followers that took place a week before Jesus was crucified. This idea tells us a lot about Jesus, how we want to relate to Him, and how He wants to relate to us.
In this week’s message we look at a sequence of events in the life of Jesus and His followers that took place a week before Jesus was crucified. This idea tells us a lot about Jesus, how we want to relate to Him, and how He wants to relate to us.
In a world that has been shaken up significantly over the last few years, Christians have sometimes navigated things poorly, hurting those around them. In this message, we look at a crucial question that Christians should ask and the answer Christianity gives to help them navigate their faith in the world around them.
In a world that has been shaken up significantly over the last few years, Christians have sometimes navigated things poorly, hurting those around them. In this message, we look at a crucial question that Christians should ask and the answer Christianity gives to help them navigate their faith in the world around them.
Who we are, how we relate to others, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that there is something in our human nature that pulls us away from the unity that we want in our relationships. We will look at the help Christianity offers that allows us to value others above ourselves.
Who we are, how we relate to others, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this week’s message, we look at the reality that there is something in our human nature that pulls us away from the unity that we want in our relationships. We will look at the help Christianity offers that allows us to value others above ourselves.
Who we are, how we relate to others, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this week’s message we look at how our interactions with others impacts our relationships and what Christianity teaches us about how it’s possible to treat those around us with grace and understanding.
Who we are, how we relate to others, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this week’s message we look at how our interactions with others impacts our relationships and what Christianity teaches us about how it’s possible to treat those around us with grace and understanding.
Who we are, how we relate to others, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this week’s message we look at what Christianity says about overcoming our core fears.
Who we are, how we relate to others, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this week’s message we look at what Christianity says about overcoming our core fears.
Right in the middle of our world is a person we call “me.” Who we are, how we relate to others, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this week’s message we look at what Christianity presents as the gate to being who we are meant to be.
Right in the middle of our world is a person we call “me.” Who we are, how we relate to others, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this week’s message we look at what Christianity presents as the gate to being who we are meant to be.
Right in the middle of our world is a person we call “me.” Who we are, how we relate to others, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this week’s message we look at how Christianity invites us to define ourselves differently.
Right in the middle of our world is a person we call “me.” Who we are, how we relate to others, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this week’s message we look at how Christianity invites us to define ourselves differently.
We as humans have an obvious obsession with ourselves. Right in the middle of our world is a person we call “ME” and who we are, how we relate, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this series, we look at the fascination we have with ourselves and how it impacts the way we see ourselves, others, and our faith.
We as humans have an obvious obsession with ourselves. Right in the middle of our world is a person we call “ME” and who we are, how we relate, and how we define ourselves impacts everything we do. In this series, we look at the fascination we have with ourselves and how it impacts the way we see ourselves, others, and our faith.
When we look at what Christianity teaches about the very first picture of humanity through Adam and Eve, we can see the first two questions that God asked them after they ate the fruit and hid from God. There was a purpose in the order of these two questions. His first question, “Where are you?” was to help them get to the root of their hiding. And His second question, “Who told you that?” was to help them get to the root of WHO they were listening to.
When we look at what Christianity teaches about the very first picture of humanity through Adam and Eve, we can see the first two questions that God asked them after they ate the fruit and hid from God. There was a purpose in the order of these two questions. His first question, “Where are you?” was to help them get to the root of their hiding. And His second question, “Who told you that?” was to help them get to the root of WHO they were listening to.
When we look at what Christianity teaches about the very first picture of humanity through Adam and Eve, we can see that there is something in our human nature that wants to hide. We hide from each other, from our emotions, and if we are honest, we hide from God. In this series we will look at God’s response to our hiding. And through the first two questions God asks we can discover who we really are, who God is, and how much we need Him.
When our circumstances shake us, it is important for us to remember why we do what we do. As a church we want to strive to be a safe community where anyone can discover, develop, and deepen a relationship with Jesus. In this week’s message, we look at what it means to be a safe community for anyone.
When our circumstances shake us, it is important for us to remember why we do what we do. As a church we want to strive to be a safe community where anyone can discover, develop, and deepen a relationship with Jesus. In this week’s message, we look at what it means to be a safe community for anyone.
When our circumstances shake us, it is important for us to remember why we do what we do. As a church we want to strive to be a safe community. In this week’s message, we look at the idea of spiritual growth in a safe community.
When our circumstances shake us, it is important for us to remember why we do what we do. As a church we want to strive to be a safe community. In this week’s message, we look at the idea of spiritual growth in a safe community.
When our circumstances shake us, it is important for us to remember why we do what we do. Over the next few weeks we will look at the “why” behind our mission as a church: To be a safe community where anyone can discover, develop, and deepen a relationship with Jesus.
When our circumstances shake us, it is important for us to remember why we do what we do. Over the next few weeks we will look at the “why” behind our mission as a church: To be a safe community where anyone can discover, develop, and deepen a relationship with Jesus.
Over the last several weeks we have been looking at the words Jesus said and the implications they have on our life and faith. In this week’s message, we look at what Jesus said about baptism and what that step looks like in the life of a Christian.
Over the last several weeks we have been looking at the words Jesus said and the implications they have on our life and faith. In this week’s message, we look at what Jesus said about baptism and what that step looks like in the life of a Christian.
Things that Jesus said have huge implications for our life and faith. In this message, we are going to look at something that Jesus said that changes everything about the way we experience Christianity and has the power to change our lives.
Things that Jesus said have huge implications for our life and faith. In this message, we are going to look at something that Jesus said that changes everything about the way we experience Christianity and has the power to change our lives.
We live in a world full of conflict and tension, which makes it difficult to find a deep sense of acceptance and value. We tend to strive in order to prove that we are good enough. In this week’s message, we look at something Jesus said that has huge implications for our lives that can give us real rest from our striving.
We live in a world full of conflict and tension, which makes it difficult to find a deep sense of acceptance and value. We tend to strive in order to prove that we are good enough. In this week’s message, we look at something Jesus said that has huge implications for our lives that can give us real rest from our striving.
This week we are focusing on a specific interaction that Jesus had with someone, and how this interaction speaks into one of the biggest problems we have with God. We will look at what He did and what He said, and the implications it has on our lives today.
This week we are focusing on a specific interaction that Jesus had with someone, and how this interaction speaks into one of the biggest problems we have with God. We will look at what He did and what He said, and the implications it has on our lives today.
In this series, we are looking ahead to Easter and focusing on what Jesus said and what He did and we are asking...“What are the implications of Jesus?”
In this series, we are looking ahead to Easter and focusing on what Jesus said and what He did and we are asking...“What are the implications of Jesus?”
We live in a “before” and “after” culture, and yet so much of our lives are lived in the middle. Are we just supposed to survive the middle seasons of our lives? Or can we live and grow right in the middle of where we are at? In this week’s message, we continue to discover that it is in the hard middle that we come to know who God really is and learn to daily depend on Him.
We live in a “before” and “after” culture, and yet so much of our lives are lived in the middle. Are we just supposed to survive the middle seasons of our lives? Or can we live and grow right in the middle of where we are at? In this week’s message, we continue to discover that it is in the hard middle that we come to know who God really is and learn to daily depend on Him.
The message in our culture points to the highlight reels of our lives, focusing on the “before” and “after” of our stories. Yet the reality is that so much of our lives happen in the middle of our stories. In this message, we look to scripture to see what God did in the middle of David’s story to find the help we need to trust what God is doing in the middle of our own lives.
The message in our culture points to the highlight reels of our lives, focusing on the “before” and “after” of our stories. Yet the reality is that so much of our lives happen in the middle of our stories. In this message, we look to scripture to see what God did in the middle of David’s story to find the help we need to trust what God is doing in the middle of our own lives.
We love Chattanooga. It’s our heart as a church to love this city and the people in it, and point them to the hope of Jesus. As we do that, it’s important to look at what it really means to Love Chattanooga. It’s a great hashtag and looks good on a bumper sticker, but what is really behind it? In this service we ask that question and have the opportunity to talk to people who are loving Chattanooga in their lives everyday.
We love Chattanooga. It’s our heart as a church to love this city and the people in it, and point them to the hope of Jesus. As we do that, it’s important to look at what it really means to Love Chattanooga. It’s a great hashtag and looks good on a bumper sticker, but what is really behind it? In this service we ask that question and have the opportunity to talk to people who are loving Chattanooga in their lives everyday.
In our culture there are so many versions, ideas, and interpretations of what a Christian is supposed to be, and so often Christians do not look anything like Jesus. In this series, we are looking at what a Christian should actually look like. In this week’s message, we continue to dig deeper into Christianity to discover what it really looks like to love and serve like Jesus.
In our culture there are so many versions, ideas, and interpretations of what a Christian is supposed to be, and so often Christians do not look anything like Jesus. In this series, we are looking at what a Christian should actually look like. In this week’s message, we continue to dig deeper into Christianity to discover what it really looks like to love and serve like Jesus.
In our culture there are so many versions, ideas, and interpretations of what a Christian is supposed to be, and so often Christians do not look anything like Jesus. In this series, we are looking at what a Christian should actually look like. In this week’s message, we continue to dig deeper into Christianity to discover what it really looks like to love and serve like Jesus.
Week 1 of our series, "Christian?"
So much was shaken in 2020. Churches closed down and most people had their normal habits disrupted, making it difficult to navigate faith and live it out. As we begin 2021, what does it look like to be a Christian in today’s world? We live in a culture where there are so many versions, ideas, and interpretations of what a Christian is supposed to be, and so often Christians do not look anything like Jesus. Jesus taught us what a Christian looks like and in this series we want to look at what He taught.
Week 1 of our series, "Christian?"
So much was shaken in 2020. Churches closed down and most people had their normal habits disrupted, making it difficult to navigate faith and live it out. As we begin 2021, what does it look like to be a Christian in today’s world? We live in a culture where there are so many versions, ideas, and interpretations of what a Christian is supposed to be, and so often Christians do not look anything like Jesus. Jesus taught us what a Christian looks like and in this series we want to look at what He taught.
We live in a divided world right now and 2020 feels more divided than ever. Opinions are everywhere and people aren’t hesitant to share their opinions with others. If our mission as a church is to be a safe community where anyone can discover, develop, and deepen a relationship with Jesus, how do we share our opinion without compromising the safety of others we are called to love? In this message, we look at some stances Jesus had and how he used them to invite those who had differing opinions and lifestyles into a relationship with Him and how we can follow His lead.
The Bible did not create Christianity. Christianity is the result of an event (the resurrection) that created a movement (the church) that produced sacred and reliable texts that were collected and bound into a book (the Bible). But how do we approach not being at peace with everything we read in the Bible? Paul—the apostle, Pharisee, author, preacher, and church planter—offers us clarity and confidence to move forward.
The Old Testament chronicles God’s redemptive, sequential activity in history. It’s a fabulous, gritty, epic history of the Hebrew people in which, over and over, Israel is reminded that they are a divine means to an end. So, maybe instead of seeing the Old Testament as a spiritual guidebook or a storyline that needs to be tidied up, we should see it as something even better: the history of God preparing the world for a Savior.
In the beginning. . .” can be a loaded phrase—one that forces us into debate and doubt. But maybe we’re missing the point of Genesis 1:1—a point Moses made to a world where the violence and injustice of the gods justified and legitimized the violence and injustice of human rulers. Moses introduced a radically different, unparalleled, and untested worldview.
Most of us know some Bible stories, but very few of us know the story of the Bible. And it may be surprising to discover it’s a story that doesn’t actually begin in the beginning. It begins with the accounts of a few men who sat down to record the death and resurrection of Jesus. It begins with the words of his followers who were compelled to document the events that had changed everything for them—because they knew it could change everything for us.
The best way to predict your future is to pay attention to where you’re headed. But sometimes it’s easy to get distracted by what’s on the path. The appeal of money, acceptance, or security can lower your defenses and lead you away from the path you want to be on. So is there a way back? How do we change course when we realize that we’ve chosen a path that leads us to what’s appealing instead of what’s ultimately satisfying?
We all start out life with great intentions. But our intentions aren’t good indicators of our destinations. In fact, our direction trumps our intention every time. That’s why we all need to follow someone we trust. Someone who can make our lives better and make us better at life. So we all have a decision to make. If not Jesus, then who? And if not Christianity, then what?
Nobody gets lost on purpose. But we often find ourselves in places we never intended. If there’s a disconnect between what you hope to be true in the future and the direction you’re headed now, maybe it’s time to take a closer look at your path. Our direction, not our intention, will determine our destination.
We’re all going to end up somewhere in life, but often there’s a disconnect between where we want to end up and the path we choose. So how can we avoid choosing a path that’s guaranteed to get us where we don’t want to be?
What goes around often comes around. The powerless often find themselves in a position of power and the people who hurt us may someday need us. In the moments when we’ve got those people right where we want ‘em, what we say will say as much about us as anything else. If our words are stones, will we choose to throw them, or use them to pave the way forward?
Our big mouths can be destructive, but they also have the power to build others up. What we say can impact the quality, and even the direction, of the lives of the people around us. How can we use this power for good?
Like a small spark that has the potential to scorch an entire green forest, our tongues are untamable, with the power to control our whole bodies. We have a tool that can be used to build up those around us or tear them down in just a few words. What do we do with that kind of power? We can’t lock it away. But we can, by God’s grace, learn to control it.
We all know what it’s like to be hurt by someone who just couldn’t listen long enough to understand us. Maybe in their attempt to be right, they damaged a relationship that could have been saved with a little patience and curiosity. You’ve probably been on the other side of that coin too. What if we didn’t settle for being right, but tried to make things right instead? The longer we listen, the more we learn, and the better chance we have of protecting ourselves from our own big mouths.
Includes an interview with The 410 Bridge country director of Haiti, Crizauld Francois.
We all wonder. When we fix our eyes somewhere other than on God, wonder leads to wander. If you’ve wandered from the faith or are looking for the door, it’s not because of Jesus. You may think Christianity requires mind-numbing, experience-denying faith, but what if that’s not true?
We wonder because our frame of reference doesn’t provide us with all of the answers. As our frame of reference changes or expands, some mysteries are solved. Some remain mysterious. So what do you do with the big mysteries in life—the mysteries that won't resolve no matter how much we explore them? What do you do with your unanswered questions?
Dissatisfaction with what we have and what we can afford can lead to discontentment. We live in a culture that tells us newer and shinier is better. So, what do you do when you're no longer content with what you wear, drive, or live in?
What does it look like to be generous? It's our favorite time of year where we talk about truly being rich. Give, serve, and love.
It’s vital to erect guardrails around our hearts because an unguarded heart can overpower our most guarded behavior.
When it comes to our finances, it’s easy to cross the line into the danger zone. That’s why it’s essential to establish guardrails against greed.
Guardrails keep vehicles from straying into dangerous or off limit areas. We need personal guardrails so we don’t stray into areas of life that can harm us or the people we love. If there’s one area in which personal guardrails are most needed but also most resisted, it’s in our relationships.
Have you ever met someone that later you wish you’d never met? Is there a person you wish your husband, wife, son, or daughter had never met? Sometimes people are our greatest regrets because they influence us to ignore our guardrails and step into the danger zone.
Guardrails are designed to keep vehicles from straying into dangerous or off-limit areas. They minimize damage by keeping us in the safety zone. But the highway isn’t the only place we need guardrails.
There are so many voices, all around us. But which ones do we choose to listen to? We talk about it with lead pastor Powell Grisham.
We’ve all had voices in our lives that have influenced us—parents, teachers, friends. Those people are important because sometimes it’s hard for us to see our potential. Sometimes we look at the possibilities in front of us and think, “I can’t. There’s no way.” We need those voices in our lives to help us recognize and achieve our full potential.
Happy couples decide they owe each other everything but are owed nothing in return. But that requires effort. Every married person makes a choice every day. That choice feels more like a reaction, so most people don’t think they have a choice at all. But they do. Happy couples make the happy choice.
As long as you think your spouse owes you, your marriage will be all about keeping score. That destroys intimacy. It destroys love. But what are we supposed to do about our hopes, dreams, and desires?
We all enter into marriage with hopes, dreams, and desires. They create expectations. But when you put those expectations onto your spouse, it turns your marriage into a debt/debtor relationship. Your relationship becomes marked by the belief that your spouse owes you something. So, how do you keep your hopes, dreams, and desires from becoming expectations?
A great marriage doesn’t happen by accident. It requires care and regular maintenance. But sometimes we don’t want to make the effort. As long as it’s not broken, do we really need to talk about it?
A hero saves the day. If you believe Hollywood, a hero saves the planet. That makes heroism seem inaccessible to most of us. But with a single question, Jesus made hero status available to us all. He also took away our excuses for not accessing our heroic potential.
What would God think about that? We all do things from time to time we know displease God. And our disobedience leads to discipline from God. But why does he discipline us at all? Why can’t he just look the other way?
Half of college students who grew up in church drift away while away at school. But we don’t have to accept the status quo. So, how can yesterday’s investments continue to pay off tomorrow?
Sometimes you know what’s coming next—graduation, wedding, new baby, new job, retirement. But there’s no correlation between knowing what’s next and being prepared for what’s next. So, how do you prepare for the next season when you can't see what’s coming?
We’re all headed somewhere. We’re all moving toward a new season. And none of us has been where we’re going. Yet it’s up to us to figure out what we need to pack in our bags so that we’re prepared for that coming season. But how can you know what you’ll need when the coming season is a mystery? How can you know what you don’t know?
We’re all headed somewhere. Arriving at our new destinations requires change. For most of us, change creates stress. Just like when we travel on a boat, plane, or in a car, traveling through life can give us motion sickness. We’re knocked off balance. The ground beneath our feet doesn’t feel solid. So how do you prepare for what’s next when the anxiety of transition has you fighting motion sickness?
Life is full of change. Transitions can be both exciting and stressful. That’s because we can’t see into the future. We can’t tell what comes next. But what if there was a way to prepare for the next season? What if you could do something now to influence where you end up then?
Do you sometimes wonder how anyone could believe Christ died for our sins, was buried, rose from the dead, and was seen? It was enough then. Maybe it’s still enough today.
Plans are great. Reality is greater. Reality wins. Things don’t always go as planned. Some dreams don’t come true. So what do you do when you discover your dream can’t come true?
Few things are as repulsive as a leader, parent, boss, or politician who leverages influence for his or her benefit to the neglect of those he or she is responsible for. Few things are as inspiring as a leader who says no to himself or herself in order to say yes to those for whom he or she is responsible. So how can we lead well when authority is placed in our hands?
The way of God isn't appealing when we have been wronged by someone else. Our natural urge is to try to get even. We want to wrong the people who wrong us as a way of getting payback. That seems just. It seems fair. But does it solve anything? Maybe there’s a better way.
The way of God is most unappealing when we are angry, isolated, or afraid. That’s when we consider things we would never otherwise consider. It's when we feel compelled to do something . . . anything. But maybe there's a better way.
David went from humble shepherd to national hero to great king. But he wasn't great because of his reputation or military prowess. He was great because of where he'd learned to place his hope.
Inadequacy whispers into every quiet moment of the soul. We think, "I don't have what it takes." For so many, inadequacy drives the pursuit of power, prestige, and possessions. If we never deal directly with our inadequacy, the white noise will keep us dissatisfied.
Loneliness is one of the most common ailments of the modern age. Because of the stigma attached with it, most people never deal with it. Instead of resorting to the white noise we use to mask loneliness, what if we dealt with it directly?
Life is full of noise. It’s everywhere, all the time. Sometimes we just want to escape, to control the noise by drowning it out with other distractions. But too often, the noise you control is masking the noise that is controlling you. If you’re willing to turn down the white noise, you might be surprised what you’ll hear.
What you naturally want is often in conflict with what you ultimately value. But your heavenly Father knows what you need. He wants for you what you really want. So, how do you put aside those natural wants and pursue what you ultimately value?
We’ll never get what we really want until we discover what is most valuable. But choosing what’s valuable isn’t natural. We’ve all had the experience of getting what we naturally want, only to discover it's not what is most valuable—it’s not what we ultimately want. But how do we avoid being deceived by our short-term desires?
We’ll never get what we really want until we discover what is most valuable. But choosing what’s valuable isn’t natural. We’ve all had the experience of getting what we naturally want, only to discover it's not what is most valuable—it’s not what we ultimately want. But how do we avoid being deceived by our short-term desires?
We all have wants. But actually getting what we want can be tricky . . . and even dangerous. It usually leaves us wanting more. If what we want leads to a cycle of wanting more and more, maybe we want the wrong things.
So, what do you want?
Who needs Christmas? Well, as it turns out, we all do. But it might not be for the reasons you think.
As you know, love must be shown to be known. Right? If you don't show it, nobody knows it. And that is the message of Christmas.
You may find the events surrounding the birth of Jesus a bit unbelievable. If so, you're not alone. But when you hear the entire story – the backstory – well . . . the whole thing is really quite remarkable.
People who are fully engaged in the life of the church invite others to experience what they've experienced. That sounds simple. But why you invite someone is even more important than how you invite someone.
Think about the people who have made a difference in your life. Don't you want to do that for the next generation? There’s an easy first step.
This generation is the first that doesn’t need adults for information. But they do need adults for interpretation. What can we do to help the next generation to see the world in a way that sets them up for success? Join Clay Scroggins and Tim Elmore as they have a conversation about how we can help the next gen win.
The idea of autonomy is attractive. One of the biggest barriers to belief in God is that we don't want to need anyone. But what if the idea of autonomy is really the illusion of autonomy?
We all want to rid the world of injustice. But we can only recognize injustice if we know what justice is to begin with. We don’t always agree about what is just. So, who gets to define justice?
If big-G God has lost his appeal because we've mixed him up with a gaggle of little-g gods who don’t exist, then how can we know what the true God is like?
Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so.
Should we really believe something just because the Bible tells us so?
Do you have religious doubts? When your prayers go unanswered, do you wonder if God exists? Does science make God seem unnecessary?
Before you abandon your faith, consider this: What if the god you’re walking away from never existed to begin with?
Americans are migrating away from religion at an unprecedented rate; Christianity in particular. But not because atheism is more appealing. People are leaving because religion has lost its appeal. Once upon a time Americans believed religion offered solutions. Today, religion is viewed by many as the problem.
If you want to grow spiritually, commitment isn't enough. You must be connected. That's what groups are all about.
Too often, we play mind games in relationships. We assume the worst of others, and try to manipulate them in order to get the upper hand. Check out this simple approach to ending The Mind Game in your relationships.
There’s nothing more toxic to a relationship than secretly trying to change the other person. It feels awful. It doesn’t work. And it will eventually destroy the relationship. The good news is you can quit The Change Game and find a better way.
When we face pain and loss, they change the story we had planned for our lives. They can end our dreams. But what do pain and loss look like when we try to see the world as God sees the world, and to do as God says?
We all have a picture of what our lives should look like. Our ambitions create desired destinations, but what happens when our circumstances threaten those desires?
We tend to view our time the same way we view our money—we spend, invest, and waste it. The question is: how does God view time? If we saw it as he sees it, it might affect the way we use our own.
Seeing your money and possessions as God sees them will make you more inclined to do with them as God says. That can revolutionize your life.
How you see the world affects everything you do. It even affects how you see God. What would it take for you to broaden your view so you can see God more accurately and connect with him more deeply?
When you have a mess to address, first options aren’t usually the best options. First options often make messes messier. In this message, Andy explores an approach that can take the -er out of your messy situations.
Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. But that’s easier said than done. What are the limits of our responsibility to others? The answer may surprise you.
A common misperception is that the Christian life is all about avoiding messes and staying out of trouble. But following Jesus isn’t about avoiding something; it’s about becoming something.
I know a mess when I see one because I am a mess. When we acknowledge our messes, we're a baby step away from acknowledging God. Your mess has the potential to bring God near you.
Whether we’re religious or not, we’ve all been in, are in, or are only one decision away from a mess. But there’s a powerful connection between your messes and your relationship with God.
When we fail to measure up to God’s standards, it can drive a wedge in our relationship with him. Resolving the guilt we feel when we think we have disappointing God is simpler than we believe. It requires honesty.
When it comes to God and faith, everyone has doubts. Too often, those doubts rob us of the potential for a relationship with God. But it doesn't have to be that way. Believe it or not, your doubt can be a bridge to deeper relationship.
Most people are mostly honest with themselves. Unfortunately, relationships that are mostly honest are mildly healthy. Our most healthy relationships are our most honest relationships. Is God okay with full honesty? In this message, Clay unpacks an overview of King David's collection of Psalms to discover that God doesn't just tolerate our honesty, he celebrates it.
On Easter, we don't celebrate a collection of teachings. We don't celebrate an idea. We celebrate an event . . . an event in history that changed history.
If you were taught to believe in a personal God who is all-knowing and all powerful, how can you not turn your frustration on him when life gets difficult?
In the Easter story, Judas tried to get Jesus to do what he wanted, without regard for Jesus’ ministry and mission. That may seem ridiculous, but there’s a little Judas in all of us.
In the days and weeks preceding the first Easter, the high priest Caiaphas stood in the presence of Jesus, the Savior of the world. But he refused to abandon his quest for control and surrender to his Creator. It's easy to dismiss Caiaphas as a fool, but what have we put in the place of God?
Why do we build churches? Aren't there enough churches in Atlanta? We build churches because the church encourages us to embrace a mandate that could change everything: love your neighbor as yourself.
People who were not like Jesus liked Jesus, and he liked them back. Since the church is the body of Christ, people should be drawn to Jesus followers. Even if they don’t agree with the message of the church, they should like the church. So, why isn’t that true?
Changing is hard. Especially when we try to make big changes by ourselves. We can’t get where we want to be without the help of others. If you swipe right on this one habit, it will be life-giving and life-preserving.
You can’t be who you were meant to be if you don’t know who you are. But how do you figure out who you were meant to be?
What if our faith was characterized by fearlessness, humility, confidence in Jesus, and love of others? Imagine how that would change the world around us.
We see daily news reports about violence and terrorism. The world can feel like a dangerous place. Surrounded by uncertainty, it's difficult not to be afraid. But Jesus offers us another option.
The New Year is full of possibilities that fuel potential for a better future. That's why we make resolutions . . . even though those resolutions usually fall by the wayside. Here's something simple you can do to make the most of 2016.
God knows what you need. He sent Jesus into the world for you, to meet your greatest need. The Christmas story is personal. Here's how to make it your story.
There's a light that can cut through your doubt, anger, sin, shame, and disappointment with God. Here's what you need to do to find it.
For many, the Christmas season is complicated. It's a reminder of broken relationships, unmet expectations, and missed loved ones. But no matter your circumstances, Christmas can also be a reminder of the light that overcomes the darkness.
Generosity requires a plan. But how do you make a plan? These two simple gauges will help you decide where and how much to give.
We all worry about money. What if we don't have enough? What if we lose what we have? This simple shift in perspective can free you from financial worries.
Everyone gives something somewhere. But there’s a difference between random acts of giving and true generosity. The good news is, it’s possible to learn how to be generous.
No matter how badly you want peace, there are some relationships that may never be fully restored. But doing this one thing can help you find peace about any relationship.
Jesus says if you have bad blood with another person, you should go and have a conversation with him or her. But why should you go, when should you go, and how should you go?
What should you do about the "bad blood" relationships in your life? This one thing will help you find peace.
Check out this secret to finding peace about a difficult relationship even when you can't find peace in the relationship.
Check out this secret ingredient to happiness. It's so counterintuitive that only people who have experienced it believe it.
Why are we tempted to make decisions that hurt us in the long run? This message will help you understand the difference between pleasure and happiness.
If your goal is to find happiness, no amount of money will ever be enough. But this one principle can change the way you view money and help you find peace.
Peace with God paves the way to peace with ourselves and equips us to make peace with others. Find out the one thing it takes to find peace with God.
We think we have to choose between being happy and pleasing God. Check out what Jesus had to say about that.
We all daydream about a trouble-free life made possible by something: a dream job, house, car, spouse, child, family, or pile of money. But what if no thing can make us happy?
Why is it some people go through extraordinarily tough times and are broken, while others are not? Check out this secret to weathering the storms of life.
How should you respond when others face a bottom-of-the-9th moment? It's not about saying something or doing something. It's about being someone.
What happens when there is no bottom-of-the-ninth comeback? What happens when you lose? Where can you find hope when hope disappears?
When you're facing a bottom-of-the-ninth moment, doing this one thing can bring light to the darkness.
Have you ever felt behind financially, relationally, or emotionally? What do you do when you feel like your life is trailing in the bottom of the ninth?
We're blessed to live in a nation of laws. But what do we do when our rights clash with the rights of others? The answer is surprising.
How do you close the gap between where you are and where you want to be? Check out this wish that God has for everyone . . . including you.
If there's a gap between where you are and where you wish you were, this simple principle can close that gap.
When it comes to getting from where you are in life to where you want to be, this one thing can set you on the right course.
No matter where we find ourselves, we all have an area of life where we find ourselves stuck. That is to say, we wish we were somewhere else.
Tired of being stuck and wishing for something different? Discover the one obstacle that keeps us from moving from where we are to where we want to be.
Wouldn't it be great to have a faith without doubts? This one question posed by Jesus has the power to help you move past your doubt.
The future is uncertain and sometimes scary. This one truth can help you to live free of worry.
We assume that our sin makes God angry. But Jesus gave us a new reason not to sin, and it's better than fear or guilt.
Life can be scary. Believe it or not, there's a way to live without fear . . . even when there's something to be afraid of.
The Bible is complex. Christianity can seem extreme. But when it comes to faith, this one thing changed everything.
If you think the death and resurrection of Jesus are unbelievable, this one thing might change your mind. Check out what Andy Stanley has to say in “Unbelievably Believable.”
Politics is not an emotionally neutral topic. It has the power to divide us instead of bring us together. What would it look like if Christians filtered their politics through their faith rather than filtering their faith through their politics?
Many of the things people resist about the church are things the church should have resisted. Jesus initiated the church to resist the Temple Model, which was focused on sacred places, sacred men, and sacred texts . . . superstition. He initiated a new covenant that is less complicated but far more demanding. It prompts us to ask, “What does love require of me?”
Want to know the one thing Jesus said you can’t avoid with loopholes, shortcuts, or workarounds?
Religion is powerful—so powerful it can shape the way we view ourselves and treat others.
Jesus stepped into a world where religion was characterized by the Temple Model and initiated something entirely new.
The arrival of Jesus signaled the end of the Temple Model and the beginning of something entirely new!
This is the season of self-improvement. We challenge ourselves to get slimmer, stronger, and smarter. But if you want to become a better person, focus less on yourself and more on doing something to make the world a better place. The challenge is that making the world a better place requires giving up some part of our lives—time, money, or opportunities. It will cost you some life. We don’t want to give up some life. We want to preserve our lives. But Jesus said that the only way to live a life of purpose and meaning is to give our lives away.
This is the time of year when we become painfully aware of where we are not, who we are not, and what we need to do differently. Traditionally, it’s a season of self-absorption. We wonder how to get slimmer, stronger, and smarter. We wonder how to get out of debt. We wonder how to become better people. If you really want to become a better person, do something this year to make the world a better place. But how do you determine what you should do?
This is that time of year when we become painfully aware of where we are not, who we are not, and what we need to do differently. Traditionally, the new year is a season of self-absorption. It’s all about what we can do to make ourselves better people. The result is that churches, health clubs, debt counselors, and vitamin shops do a booming business.
But we tend to forget that the people we respect the most didn’t devote their lives to becoming the best version of themselves. They devoted their lives to making a difference in the world . . . or in someone’s world.
Most people begin the New Year asking, “What should I do about me?” In this series, we introduced a different question: “What breaks your heart?” If you want to become a better person, do something the make the world a better place. Maybe this series has inspired you. But maybe you don’t know what breaks your heart, or maybe you know what breaks your heart but you don’t know what to do about it. If that’s where you are, the church can help.
We all want to be friended, followed, linked, and mentioned. We all want to be recognized, admired, sought after, and envied. We hunger for approval. We want applause. We want to be known. But what do you do when there is no amount of “known” that will satisfy your appetite?
Maybe you’re a “Three P” person—you have power, prestige, and possessions. You have influence. You are envied. People take you seriously because of what you’ve accomplished, what you look like, or who you’re married to. There’s nothing wrong with being a “Three P” person. But when it comes to pride, “Three P” people face a unique challenge.
Nov 23, 2014 SELECT A MESSAGE: Overview 1Remote Controlled 2Heaven Rules 3Known Survivor Andy Stanley
There is a sin that is so common to the human experience, it is the gateway to all other sins. It promises to make us bigger, better, and more important, but only makes us smaller and meaner. It strips us of our capacity to connect with others. It stands between us and our heavenly Father.
So, what is “it” and how do we kill it?
We’re all tempted to think that obeying rules will put us in right relationship with God—if we do what he wants, he will accept us. But we find ourselves having to ask God for forgiveness over and over again. That’s because our heavenly Father’s rules aren’t designed to put us in good standing with God. They’re a reminder that we’re rule-breakers and we need someone we don’t deserve: a Savior.
No one aims to live an average life. When we were younger, we all aspired to live extraordinary lives. But somewhere along the way, we settle into an average job, average debt, average marriage, average family, and average dreams. If we were to really follow Jesus, we would not be average. Jesus calls us to give more than expected. He calls us to live for tomorrow. Jesus calls us to action because only by acting can we become anything but average.
One of the things that can keep us from living beyond average is the tension between now and later. We’re tempted to live for the moment, to satisfy our desires instantly. But when we pursue instant gratification, the problems in our lives increase. Our finances blow up because we buy things before we can afford them. Our relationships are damaged because we don’t put in the time to build solid foundations of trust and respect. Our careers suffer because we climb faster than our competence can sustain.
Jesus wants anything but average for you. But to be anything but average, you have to learn to stop living for now and begin living for later.
No one wants to be average. You don’t want to be an average spouse or parent. You don’t want to be an average boss or employee. You may not want to be extraordinary, but you probably want to stand apart from the crowd. You probably want to avoid the pitfalls you see in the lives of some of the people around you. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke about three behaviors that have the power to make you anything but average.
When we’re in the midst of pain and suffering, it can feel like we’ll never be happy again, nothing good can come from our circumstances, and there’s no reason to continue living. But those are lies. God can redeem, use, and work through our pain. And when he does, we eventually have the opportunity to comfort others. There is a “Fellowship of Suffering.” People who’ve suffered are uniquely equipped and qualified to comfort people who are suffering
Jesus told his followers that unavoidable trials aren’t aberrations; they are expectations. They can actually serve a beneficial purpose. Why? Because God can redeem, use, or work through the undeserved, unavoidable, circumstantial trials in our lives. But in order for that to happen, we have to believe and persevere.
What do you do when life hasn’t gone in the direction you hoped or wanted it to go and there’s nothing you can do to change your circumstances? What do you do when you’re living in “the meantime”? If you’ve ever been In the meantime or if you’re currently in the meantime, you can’t help but conclude you’ll never be happy again, nothing good can come from your circumstances, and there’s no point in continuing. Can it really be true that God will make things right?
What do you do when there's nothing you can do? What do you do when you have a problem that seems to have no solution? Your job, your marriage, or your life is stuck. You're miles from ideal with no good options. What do you do?
Every once in a while, we run into people stuck in unchangeable, unalterable, in-the-meantime circumstances who get to the place where they’re able and willing to receive their circumstances, their afflictions, their illnesses, their losses, and their disabilities as coming from the hand of their heavenly Father. How do these people maintain extraordinary faith despite extraordinarily difficult circumstances? Where do they find the peace that characterizes their lives?
What do we do when our circumstances are so challenging there’s no way forward and no way out? We have problems for which there seem to be no solutions. We have questions without answers. During times like these, we’re tempted to run or give up. We’re tempted to give in to jealousy, resentment, and anger . . . especially anger toward God. That’s because when life gets hard, it feels like God is absent, apathetic, or angry. But what if he isn’t? Is it possible to hang on to joy, hope, and patience in the meantime?
When Jesus’ earliest followers invited people to come and see him, they weren’t trying to explain something. They were inviting others to experience someone. A living example is better than a lengthy explanation. If people don’t like what they see in us, they won’t come and see with us. But how do we know who, when, and why to offer an invitation?
Most of us wound up at church because someone invited us. That dynamic has been in place since the earliest days of the church. People are drawn into relationship with Jesus when someone invites them to come and see. Over the past two thousand years, the church—the life changing, world altering movement kicked off by Jesus—has grown and grown because when we experience something great, we invite others to experience it too.
You may have wondered, How did the church get started? Why do people all over the world gather together every week to worship God? From the earliest days of the church until today, people become followers of Jesus in the exact same way: through an invitation.
We all want life and liberty. Everyone wants to pursue happiness. But few experience those things to the fullest. Sometimes we feel trapped in life. We’re unhappy. Why is that? One reason is that we need to uncover, discover, and recover our stories.
There’s one question about God that elicits the most emotion, but has no emotionally satisfying answer. If God is good, why is there so much suffering in the world? If God were all-powerful, he could eliminate suffering. If God was loving, he would eliminate suffering. So, is he unable or unwilling?
If you’re a Christian, be prepared to defend your decision to follow Christ. Be prepared to defend your hope or confidence in Christ. You believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose from the grave. That’s amazing! But you don’t have to believe it because the Bible says so. It’s better than that . . . .
One of the most frustrating things about being a Christian is when someone asks you a question about what you believe. If you had fifteen minutes of undivided attention, you could answer. But what are you supposed to say in just a few seconds? How do you defend your faith without losing your mind?
We all love a great story. Whether a legend, a book, or a feature film, a story is compelling. But the most compelling stories are the ones that are . . . Based on a True Story.
We all love a great story. Whether a legend, a book, or a feature film, a story is compelling. But the most compelling stories are the ones that are . . . Based on a True Story.
We all have mistakes in our pasts—financial, professional, academic, relational. Unfortunately, we tend to learn from our mistakes in the areas that matter least and repeat our mistakes in the areas that matter most. Sometimes that’s because we avoid owing our part of a mistake. It’s easier to blame others.
But once you’ve taken ownership of your part of a mistake, what do you do with the part owned by others? How do you get past the stuff other people have done to turn your life upside down?
We learn from our mistakes in the areas that matter least. We repeat our mistakes in the areas that matter most. Too often, we look at our pasts and our decisions don’t even make sense to us. We end up asking, “What was I thinking?”
How do we avoid getting stuck in cycles of repeated mistakes that take our lives down the wrong path?
One reason history repeats itself is that we don’t own our part of our history. And the reason you don’t own it is there’s nothing to own—it wasn’t your fault! But if something important has come to an end and you are starting over, you must look back and own your part in order to move ahead. Your best bet for a successful future is to own your share of the past.
Many of us don’t like to follow directions. But there’s a price to pay for rushing into a situation without knowing what we’re doing. We get things wrong. And by the time we go back, undo everything we messed up, and then do it correctly, we’ve wasted more time than if we’d just followed the directions to begin with.
The consequences are usually mild when we ignore the directions for repairing a computer or assembling a child’s toy. But the price of rushing into a life situation can be steep. What if there were directions for the choices we make in life? What if we could avoid repeating past mistakes when we find ourselves starting over?
Isn’t it funny how two people can look at the same situation and come up with two completely different conclusions? Think about Easter. It will be here soon. For some people, the Easter story is about the incredible truth of the most inclusive, welcoming, amazing message the world has ever known. For others, the holiday is tainted by the belief that God is disappointed in them. People who believe God is disappointed in them, drift away from him.
But what if God isn’t disappointed? What if he’s a rescuer? What if he wants us to run toward him instead of away from him?
We want answers for life’s mysteries. Is there an after life? Will I see my mom again? What does the Bible say about divorce? Does the Bible say we have to give ten percent of our money to the church? Religion tries to answer those questions. Religion is about answers, order, predictability. Unfortunately, life isn’t about any of those things. Life can be messy. Religion has a place in our lives, but Jesus taught us it’s not the first place. When religion takes first place, it begins flexing its muscles at the expense of mercy.
We’ve all been picked on for something we had no control over. It’s dehumanizing. In all likelihood, you’ve also picked on others. It’s such a strange thing. It’s such a human thing. The easiest way to feel superior is to find a person or group we feel is inferior and power up. And we’ve probably all been guilty of that outwardly or inwardly.
One of the reasons Jesus came into the world was to change all that.
If there is a God, we all want to know what he’s like. We’re curious. Our tendency is to look in nature, outer space, or within ourselves to find clues about him. But that only provides us with an incomplete picture. Jesus made a radical claim. He said if you want to know about God, look no further than him. If you’ve seen the Son, you’ve seen the Father.
One of the unique things Christians believe is that God became one of us. For thirty years he lived under cover as a carpenter, surfaced as a miracle worker and rabbi for three years, and allowed himself to die in the most degrading way imaginable. He came as one of us but was treated as less than one of us.
Why in the world would God do that?
Too often, the church doesn't feel like a safe place for people who are far from God. They experience judgment and rejection. But that's not what Jesus intended when he established his church. He meant for the church to be a magnet for the unchurched, a place where they could find reconciliation with God.
You are painting a picture entitled Your Life. It’s made up of a series of decisions. And you don’t get to hide your early endeavors in the attic. You get only one canvas. Will you do it yourself or will you let someone guide your hand?
You always have something working against you when making personal decisions: you. Personal decisions are emotional, yet emotionally charged environments aren’t ideal for decision-making. Your emotions make the obvious less obvious. This is why you’re probably better at managing someone else’s money than your own. It’s why you know exactly what your neighbor needs to do about his marriage, but have no clue how to improve your own. It’s why your kids baffle you, while a complete stranger’s just need a good spanking.
When it comes to making decisions, we have a real problem: It’s next to impossible to hear the voice of wisdom when emotions are raging.
When it comes to temptation and decision-making, we all look for loopholes. When tempted, we look for excuses to tell ourselves yes when we should tell ourselves no. We ask, “Is there anything wrong with this? Is it illegal? Will it hurt anyone?” But it’s a bad idea to assume that if something is not wrong, it’s right. Our decision-making filter shouldn’t be based on what’s permissible, but on what’s wise. In no area is this more important than decisions related to our sexual expression. There’s no area where we’re more prone to self-deception.
Scripture says God has determined the number of your days. You can make more money and you can make more friends, but you can’t make more time. You can count your money and your friends, but you can’t count your time. In light of that truth, knowing what to do with your time matters. It’s vital that you use your time wisely.
Solomon, the third king of Israel, wrote more about wisdom than any other biblical writer. He was considered by some to be the wisest man who ever lived. In his writing, he laid out three kinds of people who lack wisdom: the simple lack experience; fools know the difference between right and wrong, but don’t care; and mockers not only know the difference between right and wrong but are critical of those who choose to do right.
Eventually, people in each of these categories need wisdom . . . but they may not find it.
Every day brings new questions.
Should I stay? Should I go? Buy it? Sell it? Start it? Stop it? Did you know there's a question that makes it easy to determine the answer to all the other questions?
It's true.
All you have to do is ask it!
The book of Judges records God’s chosen people doing what they want, when they want, with whom they want. The tragedy was that ancient Israel began with divine intervention and a divine mandate. They were to show the world who God was by being different than the nations around them. But for three hundred years they lived in a cycle of disobedience, disaster, and deliverance. The entire time Israel was ping-ponging back and forth from obedience to disobedience, during an era when everyone did what was right in his or her own eyes, God was up to something else—he was decorating for Christmas.
What kind of person do you want to be? When people have to stand and talk about you when you’re gone, what do you want them to say? Do you realize that’s up to you? What if you decided to be . . . extraordinary?
Chances are your greatest regret can be traced back to a decision where your body wanted something that your heart knew was wrong. An appetite was raging. You saw something or someone you wanted . . . even though he, she, or it wasn’t healthy for you. But you gave in to your body anyway. You yielded to the little kings that want to replace the Creator King who calls you to live from the inside out.
What do you do when your body wants what your heart knows is wrong?
Do you really want to be like everybody else? Everybody else takes their cues from everybody else. Being like everybody else just makes you average—worried, in debt, bored, and dissatisfied with what you have. If you knew that living like everybody else on the outside would leave you feeling like this on the inside, you would have done what you suspected was right in your heart instead of doing what was right in your own eyes.
The dark underbelly of the American dream is, “I can do what I want, when I want, with whom I want as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.” We don’t want “kings” in our lives, whether those kings are parents, bosses, the government . . . or God. We want to do what’s right in our own eyes. But in our attempts to do what we want, when we want, with whom we want, we end up serving little kings like appetite, lust, fear, comparison, insecurity, generational dysfunction, addiction, loneliness, and greed.
There’s an unstated part of the American dream. It goes like this: “We have the freedom to do what we want, when we want, with whom we want, and nobody can tell us what to do . . . as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody.” But what if life doesn’t work that way? What if you can’t do what’s right in your own eyes without eventually hurting someone?
From the very beginning, our vision has been to create a church that unchurched people LOVE to attend. We have five churches in the Atlanta area and partner churches all over the world that people LOVE. Our plan is to continue to move our vision forward. The question is, what is your plan to partner with the church you love?
Have you ever had a change of heart about what you believe about someone?
What about what you believe about God? In this message, you will discover how to learn to believe rightly both about God and the people in our lives.
Whether we're talking about sales, fishing, dating, or people behaving badly, we love the "thrill of the catch." It's why TMZ and Dateline NBC exist. There is a critical, judgmental, knee-jerk response buried deep inside all of us. It has a tendency to rise up when we "catch" someone else who has messed-up. That response has contributed to a Bad Church Experience for many of us
Bad church experiences really do matter. A bad church experience can shape someone’s view of God. Even though they have good intentions, Christians can be a part of creating bad church experiences.
The church isn't an exclusive club. It can't keep people out whom Jesus invited in . . . and he invited everyone. But if the message of the church is for everyone, why is church culture so often an obstacle to people?
have had a bad church experience because our expectations were not met. It's one thing when church lets us down, but what about when Jesus fails to meet our expectations? What happens when you turn over your life to him and things don't turn out the way you expected?
We've all had questions about the Bible, faith, God, Jesus, or church. Each of us has at least one "God" question rattling around in the back of our minds. For many of us, bringing our God question to church created a bad church experience. We were not trying to cause a problem. We just had a question. But that question about God wasn't welcome in the house of God.
Is God offended by our questions?
We all want to belong. We all want a circle of people that knows us and accepts us for who we are. We all want to be good enough. We all want to be picked. When we're rejected it hurts, because it touches our deepest insecurities.
A lot people have been rejected by church. They wanted to join, but they were left on the outside. They were told they weren't good enough. Is that what the church is supposed to be—an exclusive club you have to earn your way into? The early followers of Jesus said it isn't. They painted a picture of the church as an inclusive movement.
For a lot of people, their experiences going to church aren't objectionable. They are dull. Church is all about a safe and predictable routine. Nothing that is said or done appears to have any connection to their daily lives. It's about religion.
That kind of church makes it seem like God is safe, predictable, and has no connection to our daily lives. That's dangerous because God is a relationship to be enjoyed, not a religion to be endured.
Our pasts tend to follow us around. That's why a lot of people avoid church. They feel judged, alienated, or slighted because of some mess in their pasts. Some people even feel like their pasts disqualify them from having a relationship with God. That's ironic because the man who wrote most of the New Testament had quite a messy past. He was the most unlikely candidate for following Jesus, yet he became one of Jesus' most famous followers. If there's hope for him, there's hope for all of us.
Churches rarely get in trouble because of theological issues. They get in trouble over competing agendas and power grabs. That's not what Jesus had in mind when he launched his church. In fact, when he prayed for his followers, he prayed that they would be one. But what does that look like?
Our culture says life's value is found in what we achieve or what we accumulate. But those things eventually fade away. We each have a treasure chest full of life experiences that will die with us unless we become intentional about distributing our wealth. The value of your life is found when we share those experiences.
No one likes to be wrong. No one likes to be told what to do. But insisting that you're always right isn't a recipe for a great marriage. Great marriages are built on humility . . . on the willingness of both spouses to submit to each other and to God.
But how do you do that? It all begins with prayer.
Today's decisions become tomorrow's realities. Wise and discerning people understand that. They choose to live as if life is connected, as if each decision matters. That's because they know that their present becomes their past that shapes their future. In each season of life we make decisions that shape what our lives look like in the next season.
Jesus invites everyone to follow him. Being a sinner is a prerequisite. Having doubts is a prerequisite. That's because we're all sinners and we all have doubts.
Following Jesus results in overwhelming faith, but at times it can also be inconvenient, costly, and even embarrassing. It can cause us to miss opportunities, lose business, or stand out in the crowd when we'd rather fit in. Even Jesus' earliest followers wrestled with this tension. But one of his disciples asked a question that put everything in perspective: "To whom shall I go?"
We don't usually associate leadership with the church. Leadership is about what could and should be. We assume the church is about what has been. But Jesus was the greatest leader who ever lived. He modeled a unique approach to leadership that defies our expectations and changed the world.
Jesus leveraged his authority for the benefit of those under his authority. Following Jesus means that when we find ourselves in positions of authority, we do the same.
Most of us don't become Christians with the intent of following Jesus. We become Christians because we are told obedience pays and disobedience doesn't. We become Christians hoping that spirituality will fill the holes in our souls. We become Christians hoping God will fix us. Eventually, our agendas clash with Jesus' agenda, and we have to decide whether we'll abandon him or follow.
During his time on earth, Jesus invited misbehavers and unbelievers to follow him. We are all invited to follow him. You are invited to follow him, but there's something you need to know about following Jesus. It will cost you something eventually.
It may cost you money, career advancement, or even relationships. That's because Jesus offers us the choice of denying ourselves now or losing ourselves later. But you'll find that when you pay the price for following Jesus, you'll be glad you did.
We want to follow Jesus, but where is he leading? What is the payoff for following him? Is it being a better person? Is it life in heaven after we die? Is it a pain-free life? If you follow Jesus, you will be a better person. If you follow him, you will go to heaven. If you follow him, you won't have a pain-free life. But that's okay, because Jesus offers much more—a faith so strong it frees us from fear.
We want to follow Jesus, but where is he leading? What is the payoff for following him? Is it being a better person? Is it life in heaven after we die? Is it a pain-free life? If you follow Jesus, you will be a better person. If you follow him, you will go to heaven. If you follow him, you won't have a pain-free life. But that's okay, because Jesus offers much more—a faith so strong it frees us from fear.
Jesus says to pray. Jesus says not to look over there. Jesus says to be nice. Jesus says to get up early and read your Bible. Lots of people think Christianity is all about doing what Jesus says. But what if doing what Jesus says isn't what Jesus says to do at all? Regardless of what you believe. Regardless of how you behave. Jesus invites you to follow him.
Lots of people all over the world appreciate, respect, and even follow the teachings of Jesus without believing he rose from the dead. But the people who recorded his story and teachings wouldn't recommend that. Their message was clear: Jesus rose from the dead. He is Savior and Lord.
Jesus predicted that he would start a gathering, a movement . . . what we call church. And that church would spread all over the earth and outlast the Roman Empire. It would change the world. His prediction must have sounded outlandish to even his closest followers. But here we are, two thousand years later, and the Roman Empire exists only in history books, while Jesus’ gathering is still going strong. The church is the hope of the world because the church is the vehicle by which God is bringing the solution to mankind’s greatest problems: sin, sorrow, and death.
Remember the days of pinky swearing and crossing your heart? When we're young, we believe promises are for keeps. As we get older, our disillusions tell us promises are made to be broken. Those broken promises can weaken our faith in everything around us, including God. In part one of Promises, Promises, Joel Thomas talks about the role of promises in maintaining a stable faith in God.
At some point in your faith journey, you will settle into a bargaining posture with God. “God, if you will . . . , I promise I will . . . .” We all do it. That’s just part of religion—every religion. In fact, it’s so much a part of human nature that even some atheists and agnostics do it when they find themselves in desperate circumstances. But is that really how God wants us to relate to him? The problem with a bargaining posture is we never keep up our end of the bargain, do we?
Guilt is powerful. Shame can be crippling. We all have things in our pasts that haunt us. We have sin. It only takes a word, a picture, or a name to bring it all back. We know we can do better from this point forward, but how are we supposed to fix the past? We can say we’re sorry. We can ask for forgiveness. But some of the things we’ve done hang over our lives like a cloud.
What can wash away our sins?
During childhood, you may have been handed a faith framework through which you began to view the world. For a lot of us, that childhood framework didn't survive the rigors of adulthood. It's not enough to say, "The Bible says . . . ," in the face of real-life tragedy. Adults often need a new starting point.
But the starting point for Christian faith isn't, "The Bible says . . . ." It's better than that. It's Jesus.
The three largest faith traditions—Judaism, Islam, and Christianity—claim the same starting point: a man named Abraham. All three agree that sin made a mess of the world and God started his clean up operation with Abraham. God made a series of promises and Abraham’s response to those promises didn’t just have implications for his personal starting point or the starting points of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. It had implications for your starting point as well.
During childhood, you may have been handed a faith framework through which you began to view the world. For a lot of us, that childhood framework didn't survive the rigors of adulthood. It's not enough to say, "The Bible says . . . ," in the face of real-life tragedy. Adults often need a new starting point.
But the starting point for Christian faith isn't, "The Bible says . . . ." It's better than that. It's Jesus.
Everything that exists had a starting point . . . including you. You may have started on purpose. You may have started by accident (from your parent’s perspective). You may even have started through the magic of medical science. Whatever the circumstances, you had a starting point and it began before you were aware of it.
Physical life is one of many starting points. Your formal education had a starting point. Your career had a starting point. Your romantic life had a starting point. Your experience as a parent had a starting point.
Faith has a starting point as well.
Most of us know the sting of regret - wishing we hadn't said that, or hadn't done this, or hadn't hit send. With an apology or a change of course, we can ease those regrets. But some of us know a much deeper kind of regret for things in our past that we cannot change and many of us are owned by those regrets. In this message, Joel Thomas tells us what the apostle Paul - a man who had a past full of regret - says about the path to freedom from our past regret.
We all want to do what's right all the time, but we sometimes we end up doing what we don't want to do. It seems unavoidable. If we can't even live by our own standards, how are we supposed to live by God's? In this message, Andy Stanley explores what the Apostle Paul wrote about God's grace and Jesus' power over sin in our lives.
It's difficult to solve a problem when you don't understand what's wrong to begin with. Many of us have been trying to solve the problem of "us" for a long time. Some of you have lost friends, family, or jobs because you couldn't solve you. Some of you have paid someone good money to solve you. But what if the real problem is that you don't know what the problem is?
Conversations can be hard. Whether it's a meeting with your boss or a heartfelt dialogue with someone you love, the words don't always come easy. Jesus often had conversations with people he had little in common with, yet somehow he was able to break the ice and make a difference.