The Bridge Church: Reno: Recent Episodes
The Bridge Church in Reno, NV
No matter where you are or what season of life you are in, you’re welcome here. We’re excited about what God is doing in our community & we invite you to come be part of it.
Nothing is ever wasted in our lives. God will always use the circumstances of our lives to grow our character and deepen our integrity if we allow Him. We ultimately serve an audience of one and he is the one that we must please and no one else.
What do you do when you keep doing the right thing and nothing seems to work out for you? How do you handle those times when everyone else is advancing and your life is falling apart? What do you do when others don’t come through for you? Joseph did what was right and God seemed to be blessing Him. He finally found a way out of his predicament and the person who was to help him forgot all about him. What do you do? We can learn from him how we can face life when we are discouraged mistreated and alone and God seems silent...
Things will not always turn out well for us because we do the right thing. All of us will face the temptation to take short cuts in our lives to get what we have legitimate needs for. There will even be times when someone else makes the suggestion and gives us the opportunity. When this happens we’re not only faced with the question of will we give in, but we’re also faced with what happens if we don’t. Joseph had the opportunity to compromise his convictions and do something for himself, but he chose not to do it. He knew that there are some things worth standing firm about regardless of the outcome in your life. He knew that honoring God with his life mattered more than anything else.
We all face challenges in our lives that are beyond our control. The issue is not what we face, but rather how we will face it. Will we give in to the tough times and allow them to make us bitter and resentful? Or will we choose to face tough times with a sense of purpose and integrity? Joseph lived with a dysfunctional father and irresponsible brothers, but he never allowed their focus or attitude to determine what course he would take. He lived his life with a sense of purpose and destiny. He lived as if his life truly mattered and that made all for the difference for him and it will for us.
Every person who saw Jesus after his death and resurrection surrendered their life to Him and were never the same. They went out and helped change the world. How will each one of us respond to the Risen Savior?
Salvation is not found in what we do but is found in the person of Christ and the work he has done for us. One criminal demanded salvation for himself. The other acknowledged that he deserved the punishment he was getting, yet in humility, he asked for Jesus to remember him. Jesus words of certainty to him are also extended to us.
It’s easy to dismiss Judas as a villain or a victim, but in many ways, he was just like me and you. Judas was a follower of Jesus and a preacher of the gospel, but there was a doublemindedness about him. He spent much time face to face with Jesus and had a front row seat to amazing miracles and incredible teaching. But in the end, he abandoned the faith he once professed. It's easy to be very close to Jesus and still miss out on who He really is. That’s what happened to Judas and it’s what can happen to us as well.
It was a very tense time in Jesus’ life and a risky time for anyone to closely associate with Him. His arrest would take place in just a couple of days. A woman finds Jesus and not only comes to him uninvited but also does what no one would expect. When Jesus changes our lives, we will not be able to contain ourselves as well.
There’s no such thing as an unanswered prayer. God answers every prayer with “Yes,” “Wait,” or “No.” The last response is always the most difficult one to receive and can be flat-out heartbreaking. In this message, you’ll discover how to trust that God does everything—even saying, “No”—out of goodness and love.
Does God heal people today? Of course, he does! God uses different ways to heal different kinds of pain: financial, physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual. Because we live in a broken world, we all need some kind of healing or restoration, whether we’re aware of it or not.
Imagine how strong your relationship with God could be if you had a proven strategy behind your prayer life. In this message, you’ll learn ways to pray throughout the day that will bring you closer to God.
In this message, get ready to take your faith to the next level by looking back to the cross, inward at Jesus living inside you, and forward to your future in Christ.
Have you ever experienced a stressful or difficult time that left you questioning the presence of God? Sometimes it takes days, months, or even years before we realize that God used that experience as an opportunity to rely on him through difficult times. The more we begin to understand what God is really like, the more everything can fall into place, including our prayer life.
From Cinderella to Aladdin, these fairytale stories are based on characters whose lives are changed with the granting of a wish. When it comes to prayer, we often treat it like a magical wand that we wave at God when we want our dreams to come true. But the Bible teaches us that prayer is a relationship with God, and not an enchanted tool.
When it comes to our faith, the Bible says we are not meant to remain as children but instead to grow up in Christ. We’ll learn six laws of spiritual growth and action steps toward a deeper relationship with God.
God’s grace has invaded our lives and changed us. We're no longer separated from Him by our sins, but we're also forgiven and welcomed into His family. We're also now His ambassadors wherever we go. Our first allegiance is to Him. We're here to represent Him to the world where we now live. We're to love this world as Christ loves this world.
We all come from and are a part of a dysfunctional family. No matter how hard we try, we all mess it up for ourselves and for others. We long for a family where there is unconditional love and acceptance given to each person. God has made that possible by adopting us into His family through Christ, not as an afterthought but as a part of His Plan from before the creation of the world.
Our sin alienated us from God. We experienced the guilt and shame that sin brought into our lives. We often allow that guilt and shame to continue to dominate the way that we think about ourselves. Jesus wants us to know that He came to not only forgive us and take away our guilt-he also came so that we might be His friends.
The way that we view ourselves will largely determine the way that we live in this world. Many of us who call ourselves Christ followers still think of ourselves in very negative and critical ways-yet God is the one who says in Christ we're forgiven. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins so that we can stand forgiven before God.
For some, it’s easy for us to make the focus of Christmas all about me and what I want. For others, it’s easy to make Christmas all about them and what they want. Either focus really misses the point of what we really need this Christmas-it not about me or them, it really is about Him. It’s all about Emmanuel, God with us-the baby born in a manger-a Savior who is Christ, the Lord. It’s all about surrendering our lives to Him as the Lord of our lives. Each and every person and group made the first Christmas all about Jesus and that’s what we need now, just as what they needed then.
Most of us spend far too much around Christmas doing things so that others will know how much we put into it for them and how much we really care. Sometimes that’s okay but it often weighs us down and wears us out. We can easily get frustrated and short-tempered, especially when it goes unnoticed. Sometimes we reach out to our loved ones, trying to draw them closer to the God that we love only to push them away. Maybe what we really need is to take a step back away from the light and choose to do some of those things in a way that only our Heavenly Father can see. The truth is that sometimes, the only one who needs to know about those things that are in your heart is the only one who can really make the difference we long to see in those that we love.
Everywhere we go, there is noise. Modern living has increased both the choices available to us and also the volume in our lives. The once safe havens (libraries, bookstores, cafes, etc.) are not immune to the incessant beeps of incoming messages on smartphones, overly loud personal stereos and personal conversations that are anything but. We now have to be reminded to turn off our handsets before a film starts at the cinema. We all will have to make a choice that we need to slow down, disconnect and get quiet in order to focus in on what really matters and connect with God and even our own soul. We all need more silence and less noise in our life.
We are a culture that values activity and accomplishment. We talk about how busy we are and how we need to slow down and yet we rarely do because we find our value in getting things done more than we find value in taking time to simply be with God and others. Jesus made it clear that there are many things that you can and should do but that there is really only one thing that you need-that need is to slow down and take the time to get involved in relationships. Maybe this Christmas needs to be more about who you connect with and less about what you do for them.
Most of us live our lives motivated by fear more than anything else. We are afraid to fail, afraid of people, afraid we won't be good enough and afraid no one will notice. Fear causes us to focus on the “what if’s” of life. What if this happens, or what if that happens. The what if’s of life can paralyzes us and keeps us from living the kind of life we long for and we are made to experience. Fear not is God’s most repeated command in Scripture. Trusting and seeking God helps us focus away from our fears and on the one who can take care of us regardless.
In spite of all that God did to set the Israelites free, they complained while they were in the desert. He heard their cries, He sent Moses to lead them out, He provided the 10 plagues and parted the Red Sea. God had proved himself to be faithful and trustworthy over and over again, but at the first sign of difficulty-they complained. We can see a pattern emerge for them that we often see in ourselves. God calls us to trust Him regardless and to live knowing He is enough for us regardless of our situation.
We are proposing to build a “Welcome Center” which means we will need to raise an additional $200,000 in 2019 over and above our normal giving.
*If approved, we will not begin construction until we have raised an additional $150,000. Please remember the longer it takes to raise these additional funds the greater the possibility of building costs going up.
Most of us spend far too much of our time comparing ourselves with others. We compare ourselves to others because we don’t feel like we have what it takes or that we really matter in this world. When we compare ourselves with others, we end up thinking we're either worse or better than someone else. This makes us depressed or prideful. The solution to comparing lies in understanding who we are in Christ and what we have in him.
We all seem to love gossip. In a social media driven world it only takes one negative statement about someone to ruin their lives. It becomes so easy for rumors to fly and get passed on without any thought given to whether it is true. We think that it’s not gossip, if it’s true, but gossip is sharing information with someone who is not a part of the problem or solution. Who does gossip really hurt and how can we stop it?
It’s always easy for us to make excuses about doing what God asks. I’m too busy, there's something else more pressing for me. Jesus says to go to those who are the most overlooked. God is calling out to everyone-especially those who are less likely to be seen as valuable and significant. God’s call for salvation goes out to all humanity and it is often those that we overlook who are more likely to respond. We must respond to his call and we must see that all people are in need of salvation.
God is the one who provides us everything for our enjoyment. We are to use what He has given to us to help make life better for others. We are to be generous and share what He has entrusted to us. In a world where our self-worth is often determined by our net worth, becoming generous people and a generous church will help to remind us what life is really all about and demonstrate God’s heart to a needy world.
God has called “us” to be a “city” on a hill. 80% of Christians in America say you don’t have to go to church to be a good Christian, this passage would disagree. It takes a group of people to be a city, a town, not individuals. It is our commitment to authentic living as a community of believers that will help to bring light and life to a dark world. We are to live a life that goes counter to the culture that we are a part of so that we can make a real difference. The Bridge Church is to be a body of believers that is known for the “good works” that we do to make this city and community a better place. We want to be highly valued by the unchurched for our commitment to our community, city and our world.
We all have a tendency to believe that greatness comes from our possessions, our position and our power and authority. Our world certainly values this and so did Jesus' disciples. Jesus confronted this belief with all of them and then he demonstrated what true greatness looked like for all of us: serving others. Jesus came to serve us and then calls us to serve others. We believe that all of us are to use our we use our gifts and abilities for the benefit of the world around us.
We believe our God is a Big God who does big things in our world, we therefore want to be faith-filled, big thinking risk takers who never chose to play it safe. Most of us live our lives motivated by fear more than anything else. Fear not is God’s most repeated command in Scripture. The antidote to fear is faith: understanding and trusting God with my life. We want to be a church and people who take bold action for God’s glory and not allow our fears to hold us back. We want to live a life of faith that gives us the courage to take action in spite of our fears.
God is a relational God and created us as relational beings. He made us to have a relationship with him and with each other. We believe that we should intentionally develop relationships in three areas: a growing relationship with God; with other Christ followers; and with those who do not yet know Him. We will highlight our small group ministry and encourage every adult to get involved in a small group.
Jesus reached out to all people and they responded to him because they knew that he loved them. God loves every person and everyone matters deeply to Him. We are therefore committed to loving all people as He does. We want to reach the people no one else is reaching, so we must be willing to do the things no one else is doing. We want to have a deep compassion for all people regardless of who they are and want to reach out with love to them. We are rarely "out right mean" or hateful to people but are indifferent. We are so focused on our own situation and circumstance that we simply do not see them... they are invisible to us. I must see people... make time for people... I make myself available.
We are not called to prove we are right, but show we are real. We can trust God to work in people’s hearts and lives. It is His role to convict them of truth and issues they must deal with. It is our role to share our story and teach what the Bible has to say about sin and grace and salvation. We are not looking for someone we can confront with a proposition about the theories of faith, but we are open to engage in a conversation about where we have found meaning in this life and the next. We are called to simply tell our story.
God’s word is the most unique book in all of history, it is uniquely written, uniquely preserved and uniquely given to us. It was relevant to the world when it was written to and it is still relevant to us today. God's word cuts across all cultures. The Bible is a reliable, relevant, and accurate record of God and His work in the world. We can trust the Bible when it comes to the life of Christ because it was written by eyewitnesses. Don't take our word for it, read it for yourself.
With seamless transitions, natural timing and contagious energy, Bill and Pam inspire audiences around the world to live better, laugh often and love skillfully. They are a real couple helping real couples. As couples watch Bill and Pam Farrel present, they see a couple in action, experience the kind of support that builds trust in relationships and can visualize their own success.
Most people today reject Christianity because it is exclusive in its claim that Jesus is the only way to God. We live in a world that says there can’t be only one way to God. Most people admire Jesus as a great prophet, a good teacher and someone that made a significant impact on history. But there are many who do not believe that He was the Messiah, the Savior of the world. People today believe that if you hold that your view is the only right view it will lead to hate, racism, prejudice, judgmentalism and self-righteousness. Yet, Jesus stood for the opposite of all of this and called his followers to do the same. Christianity tells us that God’s grace does not come to those who morally outperform others but to those who admit their failure to perform and acknowledge their need for s Savior. Each person must decide for themselves about what they will do with Jesus.
Most people today reject Christianity because it is exclusive in its claim that Jesus is the only way to God. We live in a world that says there can’t be only one way to God. Most people admire Jesus as a great prophet, a good teacher and someone that made a significant impact on history. But there are many who do not believe that He was the Messiah, the Savior of the world. People today believe that if you hold that your view is the only right view it will lead to hate, racism, prejudice, judgmentalism and self-righteousness. Yet, Jesus stood for the opposite of all of this and called his followers to do the same. Christianity tells us that God’s grace does not come to those who morally outperform others but to those who admit their failure to perform and acknowledge their need for s Savior. Each person must decide for themselves about what they will do with Jesus.
Suffering was not God’s original plan when he created us free beings capable of great good as well as the power to choose. When we choose to go our own way, we also choose the path of pain and suffering. Our choices do have consequences or God takes away the power of any choices at all. Suffering has a purpose in the plans of God, even if we cannot always figure it out. He uses suffering to perfect and purify us as we are challenged to trust Him in spite of the futility of everyday life. The purposes of problems are to direct us, protect us, inspect us, and perfect us. Suffering will either drive us into the arms of God or to the brink of despair.
Suffering was not God’s original plan when he created us free beings capable of great good as well as the power to choose. When we choose to go our own way, we also choose the path of pain and suffering. Our choices do have consequences or God takes away the power of any choices at all. Suffering has a purpose in the plans of God, even if we cannot always figure it out. He uses suffering to perfect and purify us as we are challenged to trust Him in spite of the futility of everyday life. The purposes of problems are to direct us, protect us, inspect us, and perfect us. Suffering will either drive us into the arms of God or to the brink of despair.
Bertrand Russell says: “Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless. We want to know: Why am I here? What am I supposed to do? What do I want to be? Does any of this have any meaning? Does any of this really matter? We are part of a culture that is told each and every one of us has to look inside and try to figure out why we are here? What is our purpose? Christianity says the opposite: We will never find our purpose by looking inside of us. We were made for something that I far bigger and greater than just out personal happiness and fulfillment. We were made by God and for God and until we live for him then life will never have the meaning that God intends for us.
We live in a world that gives us all kinds of confusing messages about what really matters. It’s easy to simply follow the messages and people that have influence in our world. The Psalmist makes it clear that those who delight themselves with God’s word and take time to consider what it means to their lives can live with confidence and certainty. They have a foundation that will last when live does not always go the way that it should.
We all face the temptation to take revenge when we’ve been hurt or taken advantage of. God doesn’t expect us to pretend our pain and hurt isn’t real. He want us to resist the temptation to return evil for evil, to work for reconciliation, to leave room for his wrath, and to overcome evil with good regardless of what has been done. We'll talk about what forgiveness is and what it isn’t and seek to move all of us towards a willingness to begin to forgive even when we want to take revenge.
We all face the temptation to take revenge when we’ve been hurt or taken advantage of. God doesn’t expect us to pretend our pain and hurt isn’t real. He want us to resist the temptation to return evil for evil, to work for reconciliation, to leave room for his wrath, and to overcome evil with good regardless of what has been done. We'll talk about what forgiveness is and what it isn’t and seek to move all of us towards a willingness to begin to forgive even when we want to take revenge.
Contentment, is something we all long for, but not something we can easily find. We have an inner longing that makes us constantly feel discontent. A contented life doesn’t come from having the right circumstances or stuff that we often think we need. Contentment comes from trusting God as the source, regardless of our circumstances.
Contentment, is something we all long for, but not something we can easily find. We have an inner longing that makes us constantly feel discontent. A contented life doesn’t come from having the right circumstances or stuff that we often think we need. Contentment comes from trusting God as the source, regardless of our circumstances.
Loneliness is one of the biggest social issues of our day. In a world filled with social media, facebook friends and ways to connect to others that boggle the mind, people seem to be lonelier than ever. During times of loneliness we can be honest about our emotions. God is not shocked when we feel forsaken by him. He became flesh in Jesus Christ to experience abandonment on our behalf. But we can help each other through these times.
Loneliness is one of the biggest social issues of our day. In a world filled with social media, facebook friends and ways to connect to others that boggle the mind, people seem to be lonelier than ever. During times of loneliness we can be honest about our emotions. God is not shocked when we feel forsaken by him. He became flesh in Jesus Christ to experience abandonment on our behalf. But we can help each other through these times.
We all have this tendency to want more and even to believe that we deserve more. We often look around at what others have and believe that we should have it. We compare, complain, demand, and are often never satisfied. We enjoy life more when we see life as a gift. When we understand what we truly deserve, we realize that God owes us nothing. His grace, love and mercy are offered to us because of who He is. Sometimes remembering what he has done changes everything.
All of us deal with anger on some level in our lives. For many their anger gets in the way of their affiliations and their own lives. If left unchecked, our anger can turn on us and become a destructive force. Being angry is not a sin and does not necessarily lead to sin but can actually become a positive force for our relationships and us.
Happiness and Joy are not the same. Happiness is dependent upon our circumstances. Joy does not come from our circumstances but rather comes from realizing that God is in charge of all of our lives. Psalm 33 looks at ways to find joy in every area of life, because joy stems from the knowledge of God’s work in our past, his plan for our present, and his power over our future.
Happiness and Joy are not the same. Happiness is dependent upon our circumstances. Joy does not come from our circumstances but rather comes from realizing that God is in charge of all of our lives. Psalm 33 looks at ways to find joy in every area of life, because joy stems from the knowledge of God’s work in our past, his plan for our present, and his power over our future.
Most of us live our lives motivated by fear. We're afraid to fail, afraid of people, afraid we will not be good enough and afraid no one will notice. Fear paralyzes us and keeps us from living the kind of life we long for. Even our fear of fear can take over and we do nothing. "Fear not" is God’s most repeated command in Scripture. The antidote to fear is faith: understanding and trusting God with my life. In the middle of a very scary situation, David chose to place his trust in God. His words can help us to be honest about our fears and yet, still choose to trust God.
Most of us live our lives motivated by fear. We're afraid to fail, afraid of people, afraid we will not be good enough and afraid no one will notice. Fear paralyzes us and keeps us from living the kind of life we long for. Even our fear of fear can take over and we do nothing. "Fear not" is God’s most repeated command in Scripture. The antidote to fear is faith: understanding and trusting God with my life. In the middle of a very scary situation, David chose to place his trust in God. His words can help us to be honest about our fears and yet, still choose to trust God.
We live in a world that gives us so many things that we have to do to be successful and make a difference. We all live wondering if we can ever live up to what we're supposed to be. We try hard and come up short, so we try harder and just get more tired. Sometimes the church then gives us so many things that we must do in order to live a successful life of impact and we all find ourselves wondering if we are doing enough. We feel the weight and burden of all of this and our hearts grow weary. Jesus comes along and invites us to come to Him and He will give us rest. His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. We will contrast his yoke and burden with the yoke and burden that we carry.
If you were to ask those outside the church what matters most to those who call themselves Christians, you would get all kinds of answers. I suspect that would be the case if you were to ask a group of Christians as well. We focus on having right beliefs, doing the right things and telling others that they should do the same. Jesus makes it clear that following Him is all about a passionate love relationship with him and with people in this world. Christians should be the most passionate people on planet earth and demonstrate they love God by the way that they love others.
Let’s be honest, there are times when we all come to a place where we just don’t want to keep going. Life beats us up and wears us down and our hearts are no longer in it. We will reference David and the time when he came to a place where he was no longer willing to follow God’s direction for his life. But God changed his heart and he returned to him. Paul makes it clear in Phil. 2:13 that it is God’s responsibility to work in us to will and act in order to fulfill His purpose. Our responsibility is to ask God to make us willing to be willing.
We all live with “thirsts” (needs) that drive our lives. We all have the outside needs of food, clothing, shelter, etc. But we are often driven more by the inside needs of love, acceptance and purpose. We’re on a search and we try all kinds of things to meet those deep needs and everything ultimately comes up short. Jesus promised that He would do more than meet those needs that He will fill us up with rivers of living water that would overflow to the world around us. He will not give us just enough to get by but would give us even more so that we would be full of Jesus for a thirsty world.
We all face pain and disappointment in this life. Unfortunately, it is more likely to come from someone that we know more than from a stranger. We will take a look at the way that Jesus dealt with the pain and disappointment in His life. Jesus got away from the crowds to mourn over his pain and hurt. Jesus asked his closest friends for support because He knew that He needed them. But, even then, they disappointed Him. Jesus’ main focus for His disappointed heart was found by trusting His life with His Father. He got what He needed from Him and we can do the same.
We will take a good look at the four groups of soils/people that Jesus talks about here. We will emphasize that all four groups receive the same seeds/hear the same words but all four have a different result. Only time will tell which of them will have long term results. Each of us needs to take a good look at our hearts and examine how we receive what God has to say to us.
The Church is a love revolution that will change the world. A new kind of love. A love that is beyond. When you are captured by such agape I dare you to try and keep it to yourself.
When I Grow Up is a non-profit Christian charity that seeks to ensure that no child in the world will live in extreme poverty.
Following Jesus is not about following rules and regulations. It’s not about looking a certain way or putting on a performance. Following Jesus is all about putting Him at the center of our lives and passionately pursuing Him. Christianity is not about what we do but what’s been done for us, it’s not about how we perform but about what Jesus performed for us. It’s about following Jesus regardless of where He takes us because we know that He is our life. And only God can convince us of this truth.
Following Jesus is not about following rules and regulations. It’s not about looking a certain way or putting on a performance. Following Jesus is all about putting Him at the center of our lives and passionately pursuing Him. Christianity is not about what we do but what’s been done for us, it’s not about how we perform but about what Jesus performed for us. It’s about following Jesus regardless of where He takes us because we know that He is our life. And only God can convince us of this truth.
The disciples had lost all hope when Jesus died-everything that they had come to believe seemed now to be untrue and wrong. So they ran and hid-afraid for their lives and uncertain about what meaning life now had for them. Many people live each and every day of their lives in fear and hiding. Having no idea what is really true or even what life is all about. We're afraid that we aren't good enough-afraid that we don't measure up-afraid of what others think and say about us. We're afraid others may find out the truth that we know about ourselves and who we really are-so we hide from others and live in the shadows. The Resurrection of Jesus tells us that God knows all there is to know about us and that He offers us a living hope for our lives that will never perish, spoil or fade away. We can come out of hiding. We will offer the Resurrected Christ as the Only Living Hope for us today.
We know what happened on Friday, Jesus died and was buried. We know what happened on Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead. But Saturday, that Saturday, is the only day in the last 2,000 years when no one on earth believed Jesus was alive. Saturday seems to be the day we live most of our lives. Saturday is a day of waiting for God’s promises to come true. Saturday is the day when dreams die and hope is gone. Saturday is the day where we often feel alone. Saturday is the day when nothing seems to happen. Saturday is the day that Jesus willingly gave himself over to death and hell itself and it appears that the darkness has won. The miracle of Saturday is that the eternal God is dead. But without a Saturday, there would never be a Sunday. Saturday tells us if can find Jesus in a grave and in hell itself then you can find him anywhere.
We will emphasize the hatred of the Jews, the Romans and the selfishness of Pilate-all cruel acts against another person. We will describe the physical horror that Jesus faced from his arrest, to his beatings to his crucifixion. Yet, in all of this, God’s beauty comes through in the way Jesus responds to others while he is suffering. He forgives, takes care of His mother and finishes what he came to do. We are all drawn to a love that is willing to suffer for others, especially when they have the power not to have to endure, but they chose to do it anyway.
Judas came with his own agenda and thought it as the same as Jesus’. But that was not the case. When Jesus received the perfume form the “that lady”, that was it for Judas. He never understood what Jesus was really up to. We will address how Judas’ betrayal was actually part of God’s plan for Jesus and us. We will be reminded that our plans do not get in the way of God’s plan, actually they end up fitting into it.
This is the first day of the last week of Jesus’ life. He arrives in Jerusalem fully aware of what’s in store for him. The people really had no idea what they were saying, nor did they know that in a few days they would cry out for his death. We will emphasize how easy it is to follow Jesus when the crowd is with us and how difficult it becomes when we face any opposition at all. Jesus came knowing what was ahead for him but he would not be stopped by any mere man-he would not be finished until he had accomplished the Father’s will for his life.
Awaken conducts outreach and provides direct services to women and girls to help them transition out of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). Nearly all victims served by Awaken have had a history of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse.
We help program participants with long-term and emergency needs including basic outreach, mentorship services, counseling, transitional housing, transportation, financial aid for college, legal and medical assistance, drop-in center (detail below) and much more.
Melissa Holland serves as the Founder and Director of Awaken. She holds a Masters degree in Marriage Family Therapy from the University of Nevada, Reno. Melissa started as a counselor offering pro bono services to women affected by commercial sexual exploitation. In 2011 she and Jen Robinson co-founded Awaken, a nonprofit who’s mission is to increase awareness and education surrounding the issue of commercial sexual exploitation and to provide housing and restoration for its victims. Melissa believes strongly in responding to God’s call to seek justice for the oppressed, and is passionate about uniting local churches and the NV community in the fight to end the sexual exploitation of women and children.
Despite the “ups and downs” of his life, God testified that David was a man after His own heart. We will take a look at some of the reasons why this could be said of him. I believe that it’s possible for us to be a man or a woman after God’s own heart and that can happen as we pursue Him and allow Him to develop those same qualities in our lives that David demonstrated in His.
David was completely forgiven for his son, but there were real consequences that came. The baby dies and there was real trouble in his own home. One son raped his sister. Another son hated his brother and eventually killed him. That same son tried to take over David’s throne. David was upset but never addressed it as a father should. We need to remember that even though sin can be forgiven there are very real consequences that can last a lifetime. We need to run away from sin. We often want to see how close we can get to sin without stepping over the line when God wants us to see how close we can come to Him and avoid the consequences that come.
It had been months since the adultery and murder, David was convinced that no one knew and seemed to think the he had gotten away with it. But, God was at work behind the scenes. David’s sin was done secretly and willingly, but God was aware of all of it. Both God and we are fully aware of what we have done. God, in his love and mercy often sends someone our way who loves us enough to tell us the truth that we need to hear. David received the truth that Nathan brought and repented-receiving God’s forgiveness. The big question for us: Will we do the same in our lives?
Maybe David stayed home instead of going out to fight because he was tired or he was bored. He saw Bathsheba and decided he had to be with her. He believed he could get away with it and no one would ever know. He was the king-he had worked hard and he deserved to have some pleasure. David lost sight of his mission in life and it lead him to sin and failure. We often step over the line when we have no real mission or purpose to keep us focused or lose sight of our mission and purpose. We tell ourselves no one will ever know-we even deserve it. But, what we must realize that there are always two who know when we step over the line-even when no one else knows... Us and God.
We are not made to go it alone in life. We all long for and desperately need true friends in our lives. We will take a look at the friendship of David and Jonathan and look at what brought them together and what caused them to have such a deep friendship despite the things that were against them.
We are not made to go it alone in life. We all long for and desperately need true friends in our lives. We will take a look at the friendship of David and Jonathan and look at what brought them together and what caused them to have such a deep friendship despite the things that were against them.
David understood that God was the only true giant in his life and so he knew that Goliath could be defeated. We all face difficult and challenging situations that can discourage and defeat us. It is simply a matter of perspective. Do we truly believe God is God or something or someone else is? When we believe GOD is the only true giant in our life then we can face whatever comes our way knowing that we will never be ultimately defeated.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1–2)
One of the great cries of our world today is peace, the absence of conflict-but there is no peace and there never will be any until the Prince of Peace is reigning and ruling in our world. But, we can experience real internal peace, even in a world full of chaos and conflict. Jesus came to bring us peace and promises that we can have his peace and not live with troubled hearts and fear. It is His Peace that we all need and we all can have.
Everlasting Father literally means Father of Eternity. Jesus had no beginning and He will have no end. Jesus is a Father forever. He is the Father Who Always Pursues Us, Protects Us and Provides for us. Those who know Him are a part of His family forever. No one or nothing can ever take us away from Him.
Jesus did what no mere mortal could do-he healed. Raised the dead, walked on water, turned water into wine, feed 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread. Jesus was fully God in a fully Human Body-he was not half God and half man. His power is at work in us, for us and through us. It is His power that changes lives.
We will focus on the fact that Jesus became one of us to be with us. He came to be God with us to give a first-hand look at who God is and what God is like. He came to bring help and hope to those who are hurting. Because he was fully God and fully man, He knows what it is like to be one of us and, therefore, can counsel, guide and help us. He is available, approachable and alive today when we need Him the most.
Parenting is both rewarding and extremely challenging. We will seek to look at how parents can better understand their children and become more effective in raising confident and godly kids. Most of us end up parenting the way that they were parented even if it they say they want. It takes time energy and effort to parent the way that God intends. In order to do that, we must understand a few things that make a very big difference in the lives of our children. We must also fight the urge to allow our culture to tell us what matters most to our children-there are some great things about our culture that can help us and other things that we must resist. It takes a close walk with God and great insight to know how to tell the difference.
We live in a world of great affluence and stuff. It's easy to become focused on making certain that our kids have these things and live a life of safety and ease filled with great fun and desire. We seem to believe that the busier our kids lives are the more important they are. Therefore, many parents spend large amounts of their time, energy and resources making certain their kids have the best that this world has to offer. If we aren't careful we raise children who believe that having great experiences and the stuff that everyone else has is what matters most. It’s easy for them to end up being ungrateful, demanding and difficult to live with. We will talk about how our role as parents is not to submerge our kids into everything in our world but rather our main role is to see them as a gift from God and lead them to understand what it means to love Him and live for Him.
Every relationship will experience pain and hurt-more often than one would ever think and many of those relationships end up bitterness and anger as a result. We often end up keeping score with each other-bringing more hurt into our lives. We will talk about some of the ways that misunderstanding forgiveness keeps us in bondage and pushes us away from each other. We will look at what forgiveness is and what it requires and how we desperately need to learn how to give it and how to receive it.
Nothing is as easy as talking; nothing is as difficult as communicating. Most of us struggle with what we say, how we say it and when we say it. Our words leave a lasting impact on those around us and we all live with the consequences of what we say. Almost all of us say things each day that we wish we had thought through more carefully before we spoke. Using words correctly and skillfully is an important part of communication, it takes time and effort, but even more important is that both husband and wife must have a willingness to learn to communicate in ways that result in deeper honesty and openness.
God’s intent is that we experience openness and intimacy in our relationships-“naked and not ashamed”. Sin entered in when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and make their own choices. The immediate result was that they saw they were naked and were now afraid and ashamed. As a result, they hid from God and each other. We have been doing the same ever since. We allow our fear and shame to become walls that separate us from one another. We will look at the walls of fear, shame and blame and how we can tear down those walls through the grace and mercy offered to us by God himself.
Following Jesus comes at a cost. He requires that we give him our all. There are things that we will give and give up in order to follow Him. We may choose to walk away like the rich young ruler did thinking the price is too high. Or we may be like the disciples who left it all to follow Him. Jesus makes the promise that God will give back even more to us than we give to Him. Life comes to us when we give it away.
This man was obviously interested in spiritual things and had worked hard to be right with God. Yet, there was still something within that told him there must be more. He wanted to know how he could know that he had eternal life. The answer he received was not the one he, nor the disciples, anticipated. Jesus answers by saying that he must surrender his life. It’s not about what actions he needed to take but about where his affections were placed. Jesus made it clear that it was hard, but not impossible, to enter the kingdom.
There are lots of excuses that people can give for not following Jesus. We all deal with life and we’ll get around to it when it’s more convenient or more comfortable. When Jesus calls a person to follow Him, He is telling that person that he is to be the priority in life. A disciple is someone who is willing to surrenders all of his/her life to follow the teacher, now-not later. Jesus calls us to follow Him and to make God’s kingdom the priority and the focus of our lives.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28–30)
The religious establishment had a hard and fast rule about those who deserved their time and attention. Jesus came and broke all of them and they could not understand why He would do what He did. Jesus made it clear that He came for those who needed Him the most and were willing to admit it. It’s often those who have the greatest needs are the ones that the religious establishment still avoids. Jesus makes it clear that those are the ones He came to call.
This message will explore how our relationship with God is not based upon our good works and religious activity. Nicodemus had all of the religious credentials that you could have and he had no idea of what a relationship with God looked like. Many people are confused about what salvation is all about and how we can know that we have a relationship with God. Many people believe it is based on church attendance, being better than others and being “good enough”. We will explore what Jesus means when He says we must be born again. Because this is a term that a lot of people don’t understand or associate with “religious fanatics” and they don’t want that for their lives, we need to understand what Jesus meant when he talked about this with Nicodemus.
Jesus’ call to the first disciples was to simply follow Him. They did. Following Him meant that they got to see firsthand who he was and the things that He did. They listened to what he taught and it radically changed their lives. They went out and did the same thing. We are all here today because they simply followed and watched and He changed their lives. We are to simply follow and watch Him change our lives and others as well.
Names matter... new parents wrestle with what to name their kids. Businesses hire marketing agents to help them name what they do. The word Christian has been used so many times for so many things that most people have no idea what the word really means. Jesus never used it, the Bible never defines it. In fact the word is only used 3 times. The first time was by those outside the church probably as a derogatory or sarcastic term more than anything else. Jesus used a different word to describe those follow Him. We explore what Jesus means when He talks about disciples and what that means to us and the mandate that we have to “make disciples”.
As followers of Christ, we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. The big question we must answer the question” Who is my neighbor?” We need to broaden our thinking when it comes to people and those that we are called to help and love. We will explore our call as a church to be good neighbors in this community and choose compassion for anyone in need.
In a world where our self-worth is often determined by our net worth, becoming generous people and a generous church will help to remind us what life is really all about and demonstrate God’s heart to a needy world.
Jesus came to serve us and then calls us to serve others. We believe that all of us are to use our gifts and abilities for the benefit of the world around us.
People today are lonely. They feel alone despite the fact that we have more ways than ever to connect than ever before. Most have many acquaintances but very few have people who know them well. We will discuss the fact that God made us to “do life” with others. We are not made to be independent or to live in isolation but were made to live in a community with others. One of the best ways to see your life change is to choose to connect with others in a life changing community.
There are too many people who claim to know Jesus and yet their lives are no different from those who are not Christ-follower. Change is hard but it’s also possible because of the work of Christ in our lives. Real change requires that we co-operate with God in the process-which means I do all that I can to change as I trust him to give me both the desire and the power for it.
We live in a world filled with worry, fear and anxiety. We worry about our future-where will we live, what will our lives be like-what will our jobs be like-what will our families be like-will we have enough money. What if we fail, what if we get fired, what if my kids rebel, what if, what if… The “what ifs” of life can become our focus and rob us of experiencing life today. Worry consumes us. We explore the effect of worry in our lives, reasons why worry is not effective and talk about the antidote to worry. Jesus made it clear that we're to focus on living today and trust God with our lives today and tomorrow. God has promised that he will take care of us and meet our needs.
Some people have a hard time forgiving others because they have been deeply hurt. We all experience pain and hurt-more often than one would ever think and many end up bitter, hurt and angry as a result. We often end up keeping score with each other-bringing more hurt into our lives and theirs. Forgiveness is not about emotions but about a choice to do for others what God has done for us. A choice that will help to set us and them free. Jesus taught us to pray “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.”
Many people, even Christ-followers, live lives filled with shame over the things they have done and the things they cannot stop doing. People say things like: I just can’t help myself. This is who I am, I’ve always been like this and I will never change., I’ve given up on trying to change, I’m just worthless. Our shame drives us into hiding and we live secret lives consumed by guilt and despair. We feel lost, alone and hopeless. It’s hard to believe that God can forgive us-we don’t deserve. But there is hope-the good news is that God grants not only forgiveness but a new beginning for all of us. There is no situation or person that is hopeless. God delights in changing lives and restoring people.
It’s easy to say that you believe in prayer and that prayer works but it's much more difficult to pray. Let’s be honest, prayer is hard to do. It’s easy to get bored or to be too busy or to believe it’s just a waste of time. Or maybe you’ve just been around people who use all of the religious jargon and that just turns you off. Or, we just believe our prayers will not make a difference. Prayer becomes more exciting when you realize that you get to have an honest and real conversation with the God of the universe. Prayer becomes more real when you become desperate for God to move in your life. Prayer isn’t about getting what you want it’s about getting connected to God. Prayer may not be what you think it is and maybe that’s why you aren’t praying.
89% of Americans say that they believe in God or in a god. But that belief has very little, if any, impact of their lives on a daily basis. A lot of people think believing in God is what really matters. They think that’s enough. The Scriptures teach that a true belief in God will lead to knowing God personally and intimately and will change the way that we live and love. We'll explore the difference between believing and knowing. God wants us to know Him personally and not just know about Him generally.
After almost 40 years of being a father, Pastor Bill will share some of the life lessons he has learned that will not only apply to fathers but will also apply to all of us and the relationships that we have.
We'll discuss communion and what it means. We'll look at why Jesus did it and why he taught taught us to continue doing it. We'ill talk about who should participate in it and how we should prepare ourselves for it.
We will look at Jesus’ baptism and what it meant. We'll also look the meaning of baptism.
We are a nation of talkers, talk shows and talk radio. With social media, we seem to encourage people to say whatever they think to whomever they want to say it without any thought of consequences. Our words leave a lasting impact on those around us and we all have to live with the consequences of what we say. Almost all of us say things each day that we wish we had thought through more carefully before we spoke. We will address the power of the tongue and what we can do to bring our words under our control and begin to use our tongue to bring life instead of taking it away.
We are a culture that values activity and accomplishment. We talk about how busy we are. We know we need to slow down and yet we rarely do because we find value in these things more than we find value in taking time to be with God and others. We can even get upset if others do not see the urgency that we do to get things done. Jesus made it clear that there are many things that you can and should do but that there is only one thing that you need--the need is to slow down and take the time to get engaged in relationships.
Have you ever felt "less than"? Less than worthy of someone's attention? Less than because of your life status? Less than because of the weight of your responsibilities? Jesus brought life, hope, and dignity to women--and all of us--demonstrating that each of us is worthy of a relationship with Him.
We live in a world where those who are strong and powerful are admired, envied and sought after. Those who are weak and ineffective are overlooked, marginalized and even ignored. Even in the church, we seem to hold up those who have those traits and overlook those who do not. Paul teaches us that our strength actually comes when we are weak because God’s grace is made perfect in our weaknesses. We, therefore, should boast about our weakness, not our strengths.
Life is tough for everyone. All of us face tough times in our lives and all of us suffer in this world. The real question is not why does suffering come but rather what will we do when it does? Why do some people grow bitter when they suffer and others grow better? We'll see that real hope brings meaning and purpose in our suffering as it can get us to focus on what truly matters in this world and in the world to come
Peter had proclaimed his loyalty to Jesus in front of everyone during the Passover meal: “I will lay down my life for you.” He really thought he would, but he failed and did exactly what Jesus said he would do and the thing he promised he would never do. We have all made promises we intended to keep but failed when we thought we would succeed. But there is Hope Beyond our Failures through Jesus Christ.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;” (John 11:25)
We'll explore the story of Lazarus and his sisters. Jesus said “I AM the Resurrection and the Life”. The Resurrection is not just an event it’s also a Person!
Jesus says He is the “true vine” We'll explore what He means by that statement and how this image relates to Jesus and His people. Fruit for Jesus comes from our relationship with Him-not by our efforts to make it happen. Branches that do not bear fruit are cut off those that produce fruit are pruned to bear more fruit. We will discuss what “fruit” means and how we can know whether we have any in our lives.
Jesus is having a private conversation with his disciples’ hours before his arrest and crucifixion. His last words to them have incredible significance. Many people today reject Christianity because it is exclusive in its claim that Jesus is the only way to God. Many admire Jesus as a great prophet, a good teacher and someone that made a significant impact on history. But there are many who do not believe that He was the Messiah, the Savior of the world. C S Lewis said: Since Jesus said that He is the only way to God, then there are only two possible options about Him: His claims are true: If His claims are true then we must take him seriously or there will be serious consequences His claims are false: If his claims are false, then there are two possible options One he knew they were false and still said them anyway-he purposefully led people astray and lied to them. So, he cannot be a great teacher or prophet. The second option is that he actually believed that He was the Messiah and was delusional or crazy. Each person must decide for themselves. I am the way-the way to what and why does it matter? People who like what Jesus taught think Jesus was teaching how to order your life when He was actually teaching them who was life.
Hired hands are in it for what they can get out of it, they take care of themselves first. They are only in it for what they can get out of it and if they no longer get anything out of it, they are gone. The Good shepherd is in it because he loves the sheep and will do whatever is needed to take care of the sheep-even if it means giving up his life. This Good shepherd will defend and protect His sheep-even if it means giving his life for them. This Good Shepherd has other sheep that goes beyond those who are already under His care.
The context for Jesus’ discussion with the Pharisees happened very close to the Feast of Tabernacles. During this feast people carried lighted torches to celebrates God’s provision for them. Jesus uses this ceremony to tell them that He is God’s provision for them. We will talk about the way that Scripture contrasts light and darkness. We are called to let our light shine in a dark world. Matt. 5:16 Let your light so shine before men…
Jesus performed two miracles prior to this exchange, the feeding of the 5,000 & walking on water, that caused the crowd to come after him for more. The “more” they wanted had to do with getting their stomachs filled. The “more” that He offers goes far beyond satisfying physical needs. We will contrast the “manna in the desert” with the “bread from heaven”. Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem, which means house of bread is the bread of life that comes down from heaven. (Which he says seven times in this exchange). Those who “eat” from him will never die.
Jesus used a new word and concept to describe God to us-that is Father. Every time Jesus described God, He called Him Father but once. Father is often a negative word for many in our world today due to what they have seen and experienced from their earthly fathers. We will use the familiar story of the Prodigal Son to try to paint a true and accurate picture of God as the Father we all long to have. Jesus gave us a “new” command: to love one another-A father longs for his children to love one another. God is calling us to do the same.
We will tell the Divine Story of God’s Grace…from the very beginning of creation to His ultimate end… We will try to describe what it is; what does it fell like; how do you know it and how do you extend it? We will attempt to picture what it would look like if we actually began to spread it.
Holiness is a very difficult concept for us because we cannot really understand it since we are not holy. We will try to describe holiness so that we understand that God is totally different from us. God cannot just forgive sin because He loves us, His holiness demands that payment be made for our sin.
Wherever we go and whatever we do, God is with us. We can get away from each other and hide but we can never do so with God. Regardless of what is happening in our lives or how we feel, we are never alone. God has promised that He would never leave us or forsake us.
We will contrast God’s knowledge with human knowledge and how there really is no comparison. God knows everything instantly and never has to learn anything. God knows all about us as we live and ever before we were born. He knows what our real motives are even when we don’t. He knows our words and actions before we say or do anything. We are afraid for others to know everything about us because we believe they would change the way they think about us and abandon us. Yet, the great God if the universe knows everything about us and loves me more than anyone else.
God’s power has been seen and demonstrated through His actions in human history. God’s power to change us and work in the very difficult situations we face every day. God’s power to deliver us from the issues and addictions that run and ruin our lives. We will use the exodus story of crossing the Red Sea as an example of God’s power and to remind us that He constantly gives us opportunities to trust Him to do great things. To see His power in our lives, we have to keep moving forward.
We live in a world where the one constant that we all face is change. Some things change for the better, some things get worse. We all need a foundation to our lives upon that remains the same and that is the steadfast character of God. We will contrast the shifting foundation that most people build upon with the solid sure foundation that God provides through His Son. We will challenge people to focus their trust and dependency on God and His provision for our lives.
We all have lots of choices to make about what we will focus our time and energy on in 2017. Losing weight, getting in shape, getting out of debt, deepening our family relationships. We will seek to motivate us to make knowing God more intimately and personally this year. Even after knowing and following Jesus for 30 years, Paul’s passion was to know Him even more. He knew that he had just scratched the surface of what God had for Him.The same is true for us. God’s desire is that we know Him intimately and personally. He has revealed himself through his word and through His Son. We will seek to motivate all of us to passionately pursue knowing God this year as never before.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:21)
(Luke 2:8-14) The angels sang about a Joy that they would never experience. Jesus’ came to bring joy to those who were far from God. The joy of forgiveness, the joy of reconciliation with God and of the joy of peace in a world where we long for it but can never find it. This Christmas Eve we will focus on the JOY that Jesus brings.
(Luke 2:28-35) Simeon sang because his waiting was over-he had now seen what God had promised him would happen. Simeon waited faithfully and patiently and God came through. We can wait and know that God will fulfill all that He has promise to us. The real question is not What are we waiting for? But, who are we becoming while we wait.
Zechariah sang because he KNEW God keeps his promises. God was faithful in the past and he will be faithful in the future. The coming of Jesus is God making good on promises that he had made from the beginning of creation. The second half of his song is about John the Baptist Halfway through he switches from the past tense to the future. God keeps His promises.
Mary’s response to God’s words to her through the angel was to sing. Her song is in the past tense. Through the promise the angel makes to Mary, she trusts IT HAS HAPPENED. Mary had hope that God would accomplish what he had promised. You and I can live with anticipation and hope as we trust God to do what He has promised to us.
The “Love” Myth says that love is a feeling that happens to you-you fall into love. You have no control over it. And just as you fall into love, you can also fall out of love. It just happens-it’s no one’s fault. Part of the problem comes from the fact that we define love as an emotion-you fall “in love” and when you fall out of love it’s over. It’s just not your fault, in fact it’s no one’s fault. We must change the definition that we have of love and begin to make different choices in our relationships if we are to experience the love God intended for our marriages. But, God’s word teaches that love is far more than an emotion, love is a verb, a choice that we make and that can grow in both in our marriage and in all of our relationships as well. Paul gives a detailed definition of what love is. When we understand what love looks like and begin to choose to live that way we will experience deeper and closer relationships. The emotions will follow the choices that we make.
The “Porn” Myth says that pornography hurts no one-it celebrates the human body and expands our sexual experience. But the truth is that sex sells in our world. It does so, because men set the pace for our culture and relationships. Women are dealt with as commodities in our world today to be used without forming any attachments. Porn tells us that all women are to be used for our enjoyment and it had a huge impact on the self-worth of women. What we are taught by the “school of porn is so different from what the NT teaches about sex, love and how to treat people. Men need to grow up and begin to treat women the way that God created them to be treated. Because of the internet and all of the portable digital devices, everyone can access pornography anytime and anywhere and it is having an impact on almost every person in America from the very young to seniors as well and the effects are staggering. We are beginning to see porn addictions that are running lives and destroying relationships-we will seek to address how to deal with this issue from God’s perspective to help us change our view to see that it hurts us far more than we can fully understand.
The “Sex” Myth says that sex is simply physical and I can choose when, where and with whom I will have. As long as we are consenting adults who are safe then everything else is permitted. If you love someone, you have sex with them. If you don't, you can still have sex with them because it's only physical. But we all know that sex is not just a physical act. Just think about the long term effects of sexual abuse. Sex goes more than just the physical and touches the deepest parts of who we really are. We will look at how our attitudes about sex impact our relationships and we will talk about how God's view really is the only one that can lead to a growing, healthy and satisfying marriages. We will look at God’s design for sex which actually meets the deep longings of who we are.
The right person myth says: “If I find and marry the right person, everything will be all right.” In a “Bachelor and Bachelorette” World, we spend a lot of time looking for the right person, Mr. or Mrs. Right. If we can just find that one person we’re meant to be with then everything else will work out just fine. we work hard to try to find the right person, believing there is that one person out there who can meet my needs, fulfill my fantasies and cause me to fall in love like no human being ever has. But this never really happens-we spend too much time trying to find the right person instead of working on becoming the right person. The problem is that most people who are looking for the right person are not working on becoming the right person. We never stop to ask Am I the right person for the right person I am looking for? We talk about the fact that good healthy relationships will come when we focus on becoming the right person instead of looking for the right person.
Paul gives us a great example of how to reach out to a pluralistic culture that believes in many gods and seeks to offend no one. The city of Athens represents much of what we face today in our city and world. People who believe all kinds of things, wanting to embrace everyone and yet who think believing in an exclusive god is arrogant and narrow minded. We can learn much from Paul about how to reach out to those around us.
Jesus loved people-all people. He reached out and engaged everyone. He came that we might experience the life that God desired for us. His life was all about the people (fish). We are called to have the same passion. Our mission and mandate is to reach people-it’s all about the people.
Every person has a pool of people (fish) in their lives and a place of influence in those lives. God has placed those people in your life for a very specific reason. Each one of us has the privilege and responsibility to reach out those people and trust God to use us. There are people that you can reach which no one else can-we just have to be aware of the opportunity that we have.
The message of the gospel is one that is grounded in history. It’s a story about something that actually happened. It’s real and true. The reason we fish is that people will never know and understand the message of salvation unless someone tells them.
The first thing that we must understand is that all of us who know Christ did not at one time. It can be easy to forget that there was a time when we did not know Him. If you know Him, it’s simply because someone or some others told us about Him so that we could respond.
We will help us understand just how rich we all are in comparison with the rest of this world. We will emphasize that God is the one who provides us everything for our enjoyment. We are to use what He has given to us to help make life better for others. We are to be generous and share what He has entrusted to us. In a world where our self-worth is often determined by our net worth, becoming generous people and a generous church will help to remind us what life is really all about and demonstrate God's heart to a needy world.
God has called "us" to be a "city" on a hill. 80% of Christians in America say you don't have to go to church to be a good Christian, this passage would disagree. It takes a group of people to be a city, a town, not individuals. It is our commitment to authentic living as a community of believers that will help to bring light and life to a dark world. We are to live a life that goes counter to the culture that we are a part of so that we can make a real difference. The Bridge Church is to be a body of believers that is known for the "good works" that we do to make this city and community a better place. We want to be highly valued by the unchurched for our commitment to our community, city and our world.
We all have this tendency to believe that greatness comes from our possessions, our position and our power and authority. Our world certainly values this and so did Jesus' disciples. Jesus confronted this belief with all of them and then he demonstrated what true greatness looked like for all of us: serving others. Jesus came to serve us and then calls us to serve others. We believe that all of us are to use our we use our gifts and abilities for the benefit of the world around us.
Most of us live our lives motivated by fear more than anything else. We are afraid to fail, we are afraid of people, we are afraid we will not be good enough, we are afraid no one will notice. Fear not is God's most repeated command in Scripture. The antidote to fear is faith: understanding and trusting God with my life. We want to be a church and people who take bold action for God's glory and not allow our fears to hold us back. We want to live a life of faith that gives us the courage to take action in spite of our fears.
God is a relational God and created us as relational beings. He made us to have a relationship with him and with each other. We believe that we should intentionally develop relationships in three areas: a growing relationship with God, with other Christ followers with those who do not yet know Him. We will highlight our small group ministry and encourage every adult to get involved in a small group.
Jesus reached out to and loved all people and they responded to him because they knew that he loved them. God loves every person and everyone matters deeply to Him, we are therefore committed to loving all people as He does. We want to reach the people no one else is reaching, so we must be willing to do the things no one else is doing. We want to have a deep compassion for all people regardless of who they are and want to reach out with love to them.
The Bridge is Jesus Christ's church and we are to make certain that our passion is to worship, honor and obey him and no one else. We serve an audience of one and we are to do so with glad and sincere hearts. When we do this we will come together with glad and sincere hearts and our passion will be to worship Him and make Him the center of our lives while we reach out and love others. We exist to Build Bridges for people to come to know Jesus... we must continually ask how are we building bridges for people to come to know Christ? Are we more concerned about us or about them? What are we doing to reach out to and share Christ with them?
This summer, Pastor Tim Hosfeldt went to Nairobi, Kenya serving as a Videographer for When I Grow Up. The trip focused on the Furaha Community Foundation who have been empowering children out of extreme poverty for the past 11 years. This Sunday, hear Tim's report about the trip.
Join us a for an exciting morning of Worship led by our Youth Group. Come out to support them this Sunday at 9:00 & 10:30 am.
There are few topics that are more emotional and more polarizing than politics in our world-especially during presidential elections. It’s easy to concerned, consumed, and confused about all of it today. How many times will we hear or say between now and November: “I can’t wait until this election is over”? No matter what views a person holds, it’s easy to go one of two ways: To believe that our future hope lies within the next person we elect. To become cynical and withdraw from the process. The purpose of this message is to encourage us to be involved in the process based on our personal convictions but to remember that the gospel is the answer to the needs of the human heart and not a politician or a political party.
The three friends had to make a hard decision. Would they worship or even feign worship to the image of the king or would they stand firm in their faith in God? The king even gave them another opportunity to bow or be burned. They were faced with trusting God in the middle of difficult circumstances or caving in to the demands of the one who appeared to have the power to destroy them. They chose to believe that God would take care of them regardless of what the outcome would be. God chose to honor their faith and others were changed because of it. We will talk about how they were willing to be obedient even though they had no idea what the outcome would be-which could have been death. We do not need to fear what life may bring us-even death. God will be with us as he was with them even though our outcome may be different. May God grow us to be men and women with a willingness to obey regardless of the outcome.
The Jews had been conquered by the Babylonians but were refusing to be a part of the new place God had taken them. God speaks through Jeremiah to tell his people how to live in the place where God had placed them and stand for good for the sake of the city. We are to do the same today right here in Reno-we are to live in this city in order to bless it for God’s glory and for the good of those who live here. We will touch on three main points: Don’t withdraw but interact with the city; Respectfully Resist Don’t Give in to their Values; Sacrificially Love and Serve for the Common Good.
Daniel received a vision from God that no one else saw. Sometimes God has something for you that no one else can understand. Sometimes we go through things so that God will grow our faith-will we trust him even when it appears he is not at work? Daniel’s response was one of prayer and a great sense of weakness and inadequacy. God’s response was to let Daniel know that he was precious to Him, that he was at work and that he would provide the strength that he needed. Where in your life does God have something for you? Are you willing to trust Him even when it seems he is not coming through? Will you stand firm in faith and in prayer believing that God cares for you, is at work and that He will give you the strength that you need?
Daniel’s integrity caused him to rise to a top leadership position in the Babylonian kingdom even though he was a Jew. He was able to consistently follow God and set himself apart because he could be trusted to do the right thing regardless. Others were not happy with his success and tried to find something they could use against him, they found nothing. So, they knew the only way to discredit him would be to do so with his faith. Daniel still chose to do the thing that he had always done because he knew it was the right thing to do. Do we live out our faith with the same kind of consistency that Daniel did? Are we the same regardless of the audience or the consequences? God desires that we be men and women who do what is right regardless as Daniel did? Daniel continued to do what he believed to be the right thing to do not because he wanted to impress others but because it was already a part of his life.
King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that he asked Daniel to interpret. Daniel took a huge risk by confronting Nebuchadnezzar with his own sin. Daniel trusted God and spoke honestly with compassion. His hope was that the King would understand the truth and repent. We are not good at confronting others-we either choose not to confront or we confront in an unloving manner. Taking a Stand for our faith requires that we learn how to confront in the right way for the right reasons and trust God with the results.
The Jews had been conquered by the Babylonians. They had taken the brightest and best back to their homeland to serve the king. (They even gave them Babylonian names). This is the first time that Jews were taken out of their homeland and must decide how they would live in a new place with new views and values. Daniel and his friends had a choice to make- would they blend in with the others around them and do as they were doing or would they live by the convictions of their faith? They chose to stand out by making up their mind to trust God and follow His ways even when it was unpopular and potentially dangerous to them. They were wise in their approach and God honored them as a result. Christians are constantly faced with the same decision in their lives. Will we blend in with those around us or will we stand out by making up our minds to trust God even in tough situations? What do you need to make up your mind about today?
Invite a friend and join us for a morning of worship, message, fellowship and food outside in the Quad.
You will change. Period. It is inevitable. Life is change. Many of us resist change, wanting to keep things the same, but change is part of God’s plan for us. He loves us too much to leave us the same. The question is: Will you change because you have to or because you choose to?
Gilbert is a Scotsman who has spent many years helping people and churches. With the uncanny knack of causing people to rethink who they are and what life is all about he calls everyone to avoid apathy and embrace the adventure of life. Gilbert is the co-founder of the nonprofit children’s charity When I Grow Up. He lives and breathes the achievable goal of kicking extreme poverty off the planet in our generation – and churches being at the leading edge of the work of justice and empowerment.
The stress that we face can begin to consume us and convince us that our lives do not matter and that we have no value. When we can’t seem to get it together and make life work it appears that we are worth much to anyone-we can feel like a failure that has nothing to offer. But what if our value is not determined by the things that we do? David tells us that God’s Goodness and unfailing love pursues us all of the days of our lives. What difference would it make if we became convinced that the God of the universe not only loves us but also likes us and wants a relationship with us so much that He sent His Son? What if we became convinced that our value comes from him and not what we do? What if we truly believed that nothing could ever change or take away that love forever? Maybe knowing and believing and experiencing that kind of love would begin to cause the stress to just melt away.
We often feel like we are surrounded by enemies, both literally and metaphorically. There are situations and circumstances that can consume and distract us. Sometimes there are people who can try to do the same and there is truly an unseen enemy who is out to destroy us. David tells us that even when we are surrounded by our enemies that God invites us as an honored to his table and that he will provide over and above what we need-to the point that our cups are overflowing. Jesus came so that we could have a place at his table and invites all to join him there.
Fear is one of the things that adds to the stress in our lives-it paralyzes us and even keeps us awake at night. Somewhere along the way we began to believe that the ideal life is one of comfort and ease but the reality is that life is filled with challenges and struggles that lead to stress. We often believe that a difficult and tough situation means either that God does not exist or that if he does, he has abandoned us. But the opposite is actually true. We rarely ever grow without some stress and fear, especially when we know that we are never ever alone. God is close beside us when we go through even the toughest of times. God has also promised to protect us and comfort us when we go through the darkest valleys and most stress filled situations. (rod and staff).
As Americans, we all value our independence and we have this tendency to go it alone-to believe that we all have what it takes to get through this life and deal with whatever comes our way without any help. In fact, we think we know what’s best for our lives and the last thing we want is someone telling us how to live. The truth is that God made us not to live independent lives but rather to live a life that is dependent upon Him. He made us to trust that he would lead us and guide us in the ways that we should go. David understood that he needed to allow God to be his guide and follow the path that He laid out for him as he did, God renewed his strength as he did and he will do the same for us.
Hurry, busyness, overworking etc. adds to the stress in our lives and wears us down. We are busy, busy people who live in a world filled with noise and distractions. We go from one thing to the next and rarely stop to rest, reflect and worship We are part of a world where 24/7 has become our battle cry and it's killing our bodies and destroying our souls. David took advantage of and learned to enjoy his rest-so must we. Dallas Willard: “Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” We will talk about these four things: Remember the Sabbath,Establish Boundaries, Sleep More, Take Time Alone
The truth about stress is that is bad for our souls and can even kill us. Stress is related to major illnesses like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, etc. What’s crazy is that stress is often worn as a badge of accomplishment in our society. We even add to the stress by trying to keep up with the “Joneses’” of our world. We compare and compete when it makes no sense. Stress comes when the demands or expectations exceeds our resources and ability to get things done. We know that we will always have limitations and that even that stresses us out. David tells us when the Lord is our shepherd, we have all that we need. In other words, God has no limitations and He promises to provide what we need when we look to him as our Shepherd. The big question for us is whether or not we believe what God says.
The background and story of Joseph and Nicodemus. Both men were respected men of the Sanhedrin Council which was the ruling body of the Jewish Faith. They both had a significant and prestigious role to play in the Jewish world. Yet both of them came to bury Jesus, Nicodemus had visited Jesus at night (John 3) and was intrigued by what Jesus had to say and often spoke up in his defense. (John 7:50). Joseph had become a secret disciple. This act would have put their reputation, job and perhaps even their life on the line. Yet they willingly and publicly did so. Their faith in Jesus, as small as it appears to be, made them willing to risk everything. What risks will you take for Jesus?
We will tell the story of Barabbas. Barabbas means the “son of a Rabbi”. He was a rebel, an insurrectionist and a murderer. He was in prison, condemned to die. One of the three crosses that we being built was meant for Barabbas to carry and die on. The crowd chose Barabbas to go free and Jesus to die-they chose a criminal over an innocent man-You have to wonder what Barabbas would have thought and felt. Barabbas’ story is our story.
The religious leaders purposefully put Pilate in the middle when it came to Jesus. They knew they did not have the power to kill Jesus-only Pilate did. So, they had to persuade Pilate to make that decision. How Jesus responded to the religious leaders and to Pilate was unnerving and unsettling to Pilate-condemned men do not act like this. Then he receives a message from his wife. All of this shook him to the core. Pilate knew the real motives of the religious leaders and he wanted nothing to do with this decision-he even tried to pass Jesus off to Herod (Luke 23:6-12). But he could not get away from his responsibility to decide or the responsibility of his decision. Refusing to take a stand or trying to pass it off does not take away our responsibility to decide and we are responsible to God for the decision that we make.
Anyone who thinks following Jesus is easy will be sadly mistaken. Jesus promised that following him would mean difficulties would come. He lived a perfect and sinless life and they crucified him for it. There are places in our world today that face oppression and even violence for following Jesus-we should become more aware of those realities. In America we do not face the same oppression and violence because of our faith but we do face rejection, misunderstanding and maybe prejudice because of our commitment to Christ. We must decide how we will respond when it comes-will we respond with shame and silence or with love and compassion. Will we attack those who attack us or will we reach out in compassion as Jesus did.
We live in a world that says they want peace but is filled with conflict and broken relationships. We want to have better relationships but often don't know where to start or want to take the first step. Jesus makes it clear that we are to be peacemakers-we are to go first-take the first step-make the first move to get the ball rolling-we are not to wait for the other person but are to go and seek them out. We are to do all that we can do to make peace and then trust God with the results.
Our culture is obsessed with appearance – beauty, intelligence, success – but God cares about what is inside, not about our wealth or accomplishments. God cares more about our hearts than about our sins and actions. God blesses people who have pure hearts of integrity, acting the same way in all parts of their lives while living with authenticity and sincerity. Having integrity doesn’t mean being sinless, but it does mean having a reputation (what other people can see about you) that matches your private life that no one else can see. Jesus promises that those who are pure in heart, those who seek to live with integrity, will see God. Purity gives clarity to what really matters to God in this world and in our lives.
Mercy is one of the things that we all want to receive but have a very difficult time giving. We all want it but have a hard time allowing those who have hurt us or those we love receiving it. We will discuss what mercy is and is not and how we get it. We will also talk about why we are to give it: -God has shown me mercy-He commands me to be merciful to others-I'll need his mercy in the future. Jesus teaches that those who "get" mercy will also "give" mercy but that those who don't "give" mercy don't "get" mercy.
Jesus teaches that those who know him should always hunger and thirst for righteousness. Righteousness means being right with God, with ourselves, with each other and seeking to make things right in our world-i.e. justice. There are things in our lives and in this world that should upset us and that we should never be satisfied with-we work towards making right-.we should live with a Holy Discontent about the dysfunction and injustice within us and in our world. Jesus promises that those who live this way-will be satisfied.
Gentleness is not a virtue or characteristic that most people aspire to have. Gentleness or meekness is viewed as weakness in our world and you cannot be that way if you want to make a mark or do something significant. Jesus teaches that gentleness is not weakness but rather is strength or power that keeps us under control. Gentleness is the way that Jesus described himself and is the way he wants us to live. Gentleness disarms people when they are upset and in need. Gentleness is a virtue that can truly change the world once we have changed our view of what it really is.
It's easy to believe that following Jesus means that we will always be filled with great joy and have a smile on your face. But, in a world filled with sin, brokenness, pain and sorrow, sometimes the most appropriate response is for your heart to be broken. We will talk about the things that ought to break our hearts and even bring us to tears. Such as personal loss, bad things that happen, my sins, the suffering of others, those who are lost without Jesus. How are we to respond when pure hearts are broken? What can we do to make a real difference in this crazy world?
In a world where we are all taught that if we can dream it, we can do it. We are taught there is nothing that we cannot do, We have the ability to accomplish anything that we set our minds to accomplish. Jesus comes along with a very different message. Jesus teaches that the "good life" comes to those who know they are poor spiritually – those who know they are in a broken condition far beyond their own capacity and resources to repair. People like to say "God helps those who help themselves," but that saying is far from what Jesus taught.. In fact, Jesus taught that God helps those who cannot help themselves and own it, which is really all of us—people helpless and hopeless before God, standing in need of grace. This is the first characteristic that we must embrace as those who want to follow Him.
We all want to experience the "good life" but we're not quite certain what it is. We live in a world that bombards us with all kinds of messages about what the "good life " is and how you can experience it. Jesus comes along and begins to teach that the "good life" looks very different from the kind of life the world has to offer-it is a life that is the opposite of what we think it would be. Jesus teaches that the "good life" is about God's kingdom and what he values. He teaches that it is "here already, but not yet" complete. We can get a taste of heaven on earth as we follow him and demonstrate his characteristics in our world today.
Many people live their lives going the wrong way. They either lost their way or never set a goal in the first place. If you don’t have a goal in mind, it's difficult to know which direction to take. So where do you find direction and purpose in this life?
In a day of bad news, broken relationships and personal disappointments, we need to hear and know what the Good News really is and what we need to do in order to receive it and experience this great joy. This good news is for all the people-everyone is invited to respond. Show that joy is one of the characteristics of Christmas. It is at the birth of Christ that the world got its joy back. We are living in the shadow of the stable over 2000 years removed and the gospel is still the only enduring rumor of hope and therefore true joy that the world has ever known. Call people to be daring in light of the daring act of love that God has displayed for the whole world to see.
Help people see that the promise of the Messiah was something very specific and much awaited that God planned long before He even made the world. Show that The Gospel is not something made up by Jesus or His followers, but was established first by the prophetic words and proclamation of the prophets. Help people appreciate the privileges they have when the much anticipated Savior arrived and accomplished our redemption and restoration which are the foundation of our freedom.
We will discuss what Isaiah had to say about a virgin and how it applies to Jesus. We will look at what Matthew and Luke had to say about the virgin birth as well and seek to apply it to.
It's easy to believe that Adam and Eve's sin blew apart God's plan for mankind and that sending Jesus was Plan B-not Plan A. The Scriptures make it clear that God's plan from the beginning was to send His Son into our world to bring salvation to us.
The Israelites saw and experienced God's hand over and over again. Yet they chose to complain and grumble over and over again-wanting to go back to the way things were instead of choosing to trust God to continue to provide. The next generation told a story of death in the wilderness because their parents chose not trust. Joseph experienced loneliness and betrayal from those who should have loved Him the most. Yet, he chose to trust God and be faithful to Him without complaining and grumbling. He told a story of God's provision for his life and the life of his family as a result. Which one are you choosing today in your desert? You and I get to decide what we will chose to do and our decisions today determine the stories we tell tomorrow.
The desert was a painful place for the Israelites but their stubborn response to God made it far more painful than it needed to be. They locked into a pattern of complaining and demanding of ingratitude and trust. God finally gave them even more than they wanted. Sometimes we end up getting what we stubbornly demand and we experience tough consequences. We all know that there is a place for discipline in all of our lives and we sometimes chose it for ourselves and sometimes God, in His love, brings it into our lives. God will often bring and allow pain in our lives trying to rescue us from ourselves and bring redemptive results.
God had come through time and time again for the Israelites-he brought the plagues, took them out of Egypt, parted the Red Sea, provided food and water. But, it still was not enough-they wanted more and grumbled and complained. How much is enough? How has God provided in the past? Our hope for the future is anchored in God's provision from the past. He has proven Himself over and over to us. Maybe what we perceive as our lack for today is another chance to learn trust, to risk trust and become a people who trust.
Moses is getting the brunt of all of the grumbling and complaining for the disgruntled Israelites. He is tired and discouraged from all that is happening to him and around him. It just never seems it will get better. We get discouraged when life is hard and never seems to get better. What are we to do when resources are drained, energy is gone and we have no idea what to do? Maybe we need to turn away from the things that are discouraging us and turn towards the God who seems so far way-this is what Moses and David did.
The background of all that God did to get the Israelites into the desert. He heard their cries, He sent Moses to lead them out, He provided the 10 plagues and parted the Red Sea. God had proved himself to be faithful and trustworthy-but at the first sign of difficulty-they complained. We can see a pattern emerge for them that we often see in ourselves. God Provides-Our Expectations Grow-Difficulties Come-We Complain-God Provides. God wants us to learn that we can trust Him regardless and that He is enough for us.
We spend more hours at work than with almost anything else in our lives. Work is the place where we have the greatest opportunity to influence the lives of others for God's sake and theirs. Work provides the best place for others to see our character on display and provide open doors for us to share our faith. How we work will be seen by others. We must walk the walk before we talk the talk. Work also allows us the greatest venue to develop healthy, caring relationships with others who may or may not believe as we do but who have needs and concerns both inside work and outside of it. We get a chance to treat them as real people who matter. What might happen if all of us had the mindset and focus that I am at work to honor God and serve even those with whom I work? What if we all were constantly asking How Can I Serve You???
We live in a world that defines us by our work. It's easy for work to just consume more and more of our time. We are now accessible and available 24/7 and we must figure out how to navigate the demands and expectations of our jobs and ourselves. We are to work hard but we are not overwork. When work becomes the source of our security and significance we can easily go overboard with it. The Bible teaches us that we are to rest-rest reminds us that God is ultimately our provider not us. We must figure out the priorities of work, rest and leisure and set proper boundaries for all of them.
Most of us see our work as a way to make a living-while there is some truth in this statement-it can lead to a self centered focus in our work and miss the main point of it. We are first called into a relationship with God and then sent out into the world to represent Him with all of our lives. God uniquely designs us and strategically places us to demonstrate Him in the world where we live and work. God's calling on our lives will utilize our gifts, passions, personality, talents and life experiences to glorify him and serve others. We will find our deepest satisfaction when we are in that place in our lives.
We have this tendency to believe that our work should always be easy with no challenges for us-when it gets hard we start to look for something else. But the reality is that work is hard as a result of sin entering in the world. The nature of work changed to include toil and sweat-implying that from now on work would require greater time, energy and effort. Relationships are tough in the work environment because all of us are dealing with all of our own issues that can get in the way of accomplishing work. Work is the place where most of us spend the greatest amount of our time and therefore, can be the place that God uses the most to mold and change us. We'll try to address how to use these challenges in productive life changing ways and not allow them to ruin us along the way.
In our world today, we either want a highly fulfilling job that brings deep satisfaction or we want a high paying job that will make me lots of money-it would be great to have both. These views miss the real purpose of work from God's perspective. Work really is not about us. In the church today, we have a tendency to believe that those who do God's work are those who are "in the ministry". This view distorts God's view as well. God designed all work to be good and good for us as we partner with Him in his work in the world. Work is a gift to be enjoyed and is a unique way to experience God. As we embrace God's purpose for our work and it's benefit for us we are drawn into a deeper relationship with Him. Our work environment becomes a place where we can grow closer to God as we work for Him and His glory and see Him at work in and around us.
Without a doubt, actions speak louder than words. Our clearest messages are sent not only by what we say but also by how we live-especially during the times. Our lives are defined for our children by the decisions we make under pressure. They are always watching and listening-especially when it seems they are not. We’re shaping our children’s memories, deciding what they’ll look back on by the decisions that we make today. It’s never too late to begin to do the right thing. We can’t control their responses, but we can control the examples we set.
It's tough to be a kid and a parent in our world today. There’s seems to be more discontent than ever in our homes. Teens want to have more freedom and parents want to see more responsibility. There is a way for kids to get what they want but it will require them to do the opposite of what they think. This message will focus on what kids can do today to make life better and more fun at home.
No matter how much you love each other there will be times when conflict is inevitable. Family conflict is like no other because when you win an argument in your family, you don’t really win anything. The conflict is often never fully resolved. The issue is how will we respond or react to each other when conflict arises? Where does it come from? You may be surprised at the source of it-it’s far more internal than external. When conflict arises we often raise the volume and try to make our point heard and understand. What if the better way is the other way? We’ll talk about how to look within to address the source and begin to see that right relationships matter more than getting your way.
Being a Christian and Single is tough. You can often feel second rate in the church because it seems that everyone else is married and you are missing out. Plus it's tough to remain pure and faithful as well-what do you do with those raging hormones in a world where sex is just what normal people do? We will also address the purposes God has for you while you are single as well as address the great value you bring to His church today.
There is one key ingredient that Paul addresses in Ephesians that make all of the difference for marriages-without it our marriage can become more about me trying to get what I think I need instead of being committed to your needs. Paul says we are to Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ It is this attitude that will demonstrate that we are in this relationship together. We treat each other this way because we love Him. We will look at the way Paul describes men and women are to do it. God has designed women to respond to Sacrificial Love-just as Christ loved the church. God has designed men to respond to Respectful Submission.
We all come into marriage with legitimate hopes and dreams that can easily turn into a huge list of expectations-essentially believing that it is the role of our spouse to meet our needs and fulfill our expectations. The rude awakening comes when we realize our expectations are not the same. When expectations drive us in marriage, we act like marriage is a contract and not a covenant. It becomes a 50/50 proposition. I will give to you as long as you give back to me. We begin to keep score with each other and we stop giving when we do not get what we believe that we should get. We all have legitimate God given hopes and dreams for marriage and that's what they need to be-not expectations and demands. Each of us must be committed to the other person over us even when the other person may not share the same commitment. This is what Jesus did for us and calls us to do for each other.
We will address that every Christ follower has been gifted for service and ministry by God, the Holy Spirit. Not every gift is the same but every gift matters which means every person has a role/part to play in the Body of Christ.
We all have this tendency to believe that greatness comes from our possessions, our position and our power and authority. Our world certainly values this and so did Jesus' disciples. Jesus confronted this belief with all of them and then he demonstrated what true greatness looked like for all of us.
The disciples were all waiting for someone else to get up and wash feet-no one wanted to take on the role of a servant because they all thought they were better than that. Jesus, the greatest one in the room, willingly served all of them-making it clear that no one is above serving anyone. Jesus then makes it clear that they were to do to others what He did for them. The same is true for us.
Jesus makes it clear that the Father is reaching out to both the younger and older brother and wants both of them to celebrate with Him. God's heart is that all the lost would turn to Him.
The older brother was angry that the Father welcomed the younger brother so easily and the story ends with him refusing to go into the celebration. The older brother served the Father for selfish reasons. Jesus is speaking directly to the religious in this part of the story. We'll ask some tough questions about why we serve the Father and what we think about the rebellious.
We have been taught that this story is about the prodigal son and it is-but there's more to the story. The son wanted his freedom but also wanted his money- amazing that the Father gave it to Him. When the son ran out his resources, he began to see life from a different perspective. God stands ready to receive us when we turn to Him.
Those who were considered far from God sought Jesus out and He welcomed them and even ate with them. They wanted to be with him. The religious people were upset that Jesus not only welcomed them but actually wanted to be with them. Jesus tells three stories that reveal God's heart for the lost and His willingness to search for them.
The hope of the world is not government, academics, business or even economics but the church. God has entrusted the church with the message of salvation, which truly changes people’s lives and hearts and He invites us into His grand life-giving, world-transforming, Christ-honoring plan. With guest speaker: Darin Elquist
Christianity is grounded in real events of human history and the story must be told. No one will ever come to know Christ on their own apart from someone telling them about Him. We all are called to tell our story and share how God has worked in our lives.
Pastor Jose shares how Jesus is a better high priest and sacrifice than old ones. The old covenant was good and fine, but what God does later will be even greater!
When the church is Christ-centered it's a life-changing community. We'll look at the three signs that make up a life-changing community.
We all experience pain and hurt more often than one would ever think. It’s to become bitter, angry and resentful. We often refuse to deal with it or to forgive. We do so thinking that it will actually help us but it ends up impacting our relationships and even our well being. Simplifying our lives means that we must be willing to deal with our relationships and let go of bitterness and resentment. We’ll look at what forgiveness is and what it requires and how we can learn how to forgive and let go.
Every person faces challenges. Some come from within and some come from without. None of us knows what will happen on any given day but when we build our lives and our families on trusting God, we’ll not only survive but we will grow as a result.
Many of us live our lives motivated by fear more than anything else. We're afraid to fail, we're afraid of people, we're afraid we'll not be good enough, and we're afraid no one will notice. Fear paralyzes us and keeps us from living the kind of life we long for. "Fear not" is God’s most repeated command in Scripture. We'll look at what causes us to be afraid, how to identify when our fears to control us and how a life of faith allows us to live with peace and courage.
Do you seek God with your schedule? We’re a culture that values activity and accomplishment. We frequently talk about how busy we are and how we need to slow down, yet we rarely do so. It's because we truly believe that the more that we do the more than we matter. Speed is killing us both literally and figuratively. It is taking a toll on our health, our relationships and our real impact in the world. Jesus made it clear that there are many things that you can and should do but that there is really only one thing that you need.
Special guest speaker Gilbert Foster: When I Grow Up is a non-profit Christian charity that seeks to ensure that no child in the world will live in extreme poverty. Twitter describes him as a Scottish guy helping people rethink Jesus, Church and Faith. Missional Leader. Social Evangelist. Global Trekker. Reader of way too many books.
We live in a world where there are so many things that we have to do to be successful and make a difference. We all live wondering if we can ever live up to all that we're supposed to be. Jesus comes along and invites those who are weary and burdened to come to Him and He will give us rest. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. We’ll contrast burdens that we carry with the burden Jesus asks us to carry.
We’ll be looking at the major "steps" God has taken in our world: Creation, the Exodus, the Nation of Israel, being born into our World, walking up the hill to Golgotha... dying on a cross... But none of these steps would have meant anything if Jesus hadn't stepped out of the tomb.
Many of us don't know if the way that we pray is the way that we should pray. We don't know if God hears us or not. Our attitude in approaching God makes all the difference in how He responds to us. One expects/demands God to answer... another cries out for mercy. One looks up... the other looks down. We'll contrast pride and self righteousness with humility.
Jesus prayed this prayer specifically for us-the Church. We'll take a look at the things that he prayed for us, but will specifically focus on the issue of unity. Three times, Jesus prays that we'll be one. Unity matter deeply to Jesus. Unity is hard to achieve and even more difficult to maintain. Disunity is a great threat to the mission of the Church today. Without unity, the world will never know that the Father sent His Son into the world.
Jesus gives us instruction about how to pray and not to pray. We often think that the main point of prayer is about asking God to do things for us, so we often spend most our time in prayer making requests. But the purpose and point of prayer is not to get something from God rather it is to surrender to God's will. Our focus in prayer should be on making God's name holy, seeking His kingdom and surrendering to His will.
Many people believe that you can't know for certain that you know God and have eternal life. They believe you can only live the best that you can and hope that God accepts you. John blows that belief out of the water when he says that he wrote so that we could know. The key to life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life and whoever does not have the Son does not have life. John wrote so that those who believe in the Son of God may know that they have eternal life.
We're told that our greatest needs as a human beings is a sense of belonging acceptance and security. We all desperately need that in our lives. Without that deep sense of love and security we live in fear almost all of the time. God's love for us removes a fear of His judgment/condemnation/rejection in our lives. It gives us confidence instead.
We'll contrast "love" from our culture's perspective with "love" from God's perspective. Love from our culture's perspective is about what I think is best for me. Love from God's perspective is always more than an emotion or feeling good. Love is a commitment to the good of the other person regardless of the cost for us. This is the kind of love God has shown to us.
John lived life long enough to know and experience that following Christ is a lifelong battle. It's not an easy road for any of us. In fact, John faced great opposition in his life. He tells us that there are two things that can lead us astray: one is the world and the other is the Antichrist. John describes the characteristics of both so that we can be on our guard for them. He wants us to be aware of the impact of this world's system and the false teachings that can slowly move us away from God's truth. He also reminds us of two great resources that can help us stay focused: the truth (the Scriptures) and the power of the Holy Spirit. We'll talk about what it means to "remain in Him" and what we can practically do for that to happen.
John reminded us that we all sin but now he moves to say that because of our fellowship with God there must and will be real life change. We'll talk about the struggle we all have for consistency in our lives-especially when it comes to our walk with God and dealing with people. The rubber meets the road when it comes to our personal relationships. We'll deal the issue of "love" and "hate" as it applies to our fellowship with Him.
John wrote this letter so that we can enjoy a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We can experience this as we truly embrace the gospel and live a life of on-going repentance. We'll deal with what the "Gospel" is and what "repentance" means for all of us and the role they both play in our ongoing fellowship with God.
We'll look at the John's life and how he was transformed by Jesus. He was perhaps the youngest disciple whom we often remember as "the disciple whom Jesus loved". John saw it all as he followed Jesus. He was even there at the cross. But John's life was transformed when Jesus rose from the dead. It was a living risen Savior that changed his life and was the reason that John followed Jesus the rest of his life.
Do you struggle finding hope? Each day is filled with the possibilities for a new beginning because of God's great love and faithfulness.
Christmas tells us that if God can show up in a manger in Bethlehem, through a virgin teenager named Mary at the right time in human history, then our God can do anything. Our God is a God of the impossible. There is nothing too hard for Him.
Christmas tells us that there is Good News of Great Joy for Everyone. A Savior has been born, He is Christ the Lord. Jesus came into our world as a baby so that he could die on a cross in our place and forgive us of our sins.
Christmas tells us that God is for us. He is not against us but sent his one and only Son into the world to let us know that He wants us badly enough to leave the glories of heaven and come for us. He is the pursuer and we are the pursued-our God is for us.
Christmas tells us that God is with us-we are not alone, we are not on our own and we do not have to figure it out by ourselves. Jesus came to be Emmanuel, God with us, and He remains the God who is with us today-do you have faith enough to live like it?
We are not just members of God's family, we are His Ambassadors on a mission of reconciliation in this world.
As Christ followers, we make a difference in this world-the way that we live and the things that we say will determine whether that difference is positive or negative.
We are God's Masterpiece: a display of His Grace, Love and Mercy in this world for all to see.
When we come to faith in Christ, we are adopted into God's family and are now His Son/Daughter. We are no longer his enemies but we now belong to Him.
We live in a world where our circumstance are always changing. We need to find the one thing that will never change and will keep our lives focused on what matters most. We will address the secret Paul learned that we can as well.
Paul gives great instruction for God's people about putting money and things in their rightful place. We have to decide now that we will be generous with the resources God gives to us so that we will not fall into the trap that they can bring. We will address the three "P's" of becoming generous people.
We will address the way that we are to handle our money that will set us free. We will talk about the 10, 10, 80 rule. Give 10%, save 10% live off 80%. This is a basic rule that anyone can begin to follow to gain control over their use of money.
Debt, especially consumer debt, has become common place and expected for us today. Without realizing it we have made ourselves slaves by not living within our means. We will address ways to stop the madness of overspending and how to begin to get our finances in order live so that we can live within our means on purpose.
Greed is a trap that can slowly enslave us and we never realize that it's an issue because most of us do not think we are greedy. Where are we placing our trust and hope for life? Life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions. What are the treasures of our lives that drive us?
Christ followers are always ready to go wherever God directs them to represent Him in the world today.
Christ followers know that they need others in their lives and meet together regularly with others in smaller groups for growth, relationships and encouragement.
Christ followers know that all that they have belongs to Him and are generous and cheerfully share what they have with others.
Christ followers a different way of seeing people in their world and are constantly reaching out to those who were not a part of their group.
Christ followers are Christ-centered in all of their lives, totally surrendered to Him and grace-focused. They think differently in this world. For us to become all God intends, we can't remain the way that we are. Real life change begins when we change our minds.
We are not called to prove we are right, but show we are real. We can trust God to work in people’s hearts and lives. It is His role to convict them of truth and issues they must deal with. It is our role to share our story and point people to Jesus.
We’ve all done things we regret. Once we recognize our mistakes. We can try to correct them, but sometimes the damage is done and there’s no correcting it. Christians know the forgiveness of Jesus, but sometimes we struggle with accepting it. We live with nagging doubts and constant reminders of the damage we’ve caused. We’ll explore how we can find freedom from the guilt and shame we carry and in the end, find true peace today.
We all experience pain and hurt - more often than one would ever think and many end up with bitterness and anger as a result. We often end up keeping score with each other - bringing more hurt into our lives. We try to forgive but find it hard to do so. We’ll talk about some of the ways that misunderstanding forgiveness keeps us in bondage and pushes us away from each other. We’ll look at what forgiveness is and what it requires and how we desperately need to learn how to forgive and let go - for our sakes as we as for the other person.
Ever since Jesus ascended back to the Father, people have speculated when he would return. In fact, almost every generation of Christ followers have thought that it would happen during their life time – even the first disciples. We’ll talk about the reality of Christ’s return and the uncertainty of the timing of the event.
Jesus made the claim that he is the only way to God and we must decide what we will do with what He said.
God’s word is the most unique book in all of history, it is uniquely written, uniquely preserved and uniquely given to us. It was relevant to the world when it was written to and it is still relevant to us today. God’s word cuts across all cultures.
Jesus came as the Word of God who is the mediator between God and man-the personification of God's Truth and Wisdom.
Life has a way of beating us up and wearing us down. It's easy to get discouraged and lose heart. We'll talk about three things that we need to help sustain heart for this journey and be able to finish well.
Jesus has sent us out into the world as His Father sent Him. Our world is a wild and crazy place that's not easy to love and reach out to. It's easy for us to forget what's it's like to be lost in this world. We'll talk about how we can live in this world and love those who are far from God.
Most of us had great passion for life as a kid-we took risks, tried new things and had great dreams. But somehow along the way, we seem to lose that passion for life. We'll talk about how God has made us to live with a fervor and passion for life. Jesus came to give us life-life to the full and our world needs men and women who live from the heart and live pointing them to Jesus.
We're told in Ephesians that God created us to do good works that he himself prepared for us to do. And yet, helping others is something we all struggle with. Jesus came to serve and he shows us that if we'll only have faith, he'll use ordinary people like us to do extraordinary things.
The weak and the defenseless need protection. Judah shows us what it looks like to speak up for someone who doesn't have a voice.
We all have a reason to face each new day with hope and expectation. We even have a reason to face death in the same way. We're not here by accident. We're created for a purpose and that purpose is Christ.
We live in a very scary world, where almost anything can happen to anyone at almost any time. It’s easy to begin to live in fear and feel like things are out of control. But it’s possible to face the future knowing that God is in charge in spite of what’s happening, God has a plan and a future for all of us.
Many of us have become convinced that we don’t have much to offer and that we can’t make a real difference in this world. But the reality is that God has left us here for a reason. He’s left us here to represent Him to others and offer them the hope that we’ve found. We can make a difference-we will make a difference.
Quick fixes and fad diets don’t last. We long for real change-not just a cosmetic makeover. Knowing and following Jesus means that real change IS possible-no matter what your struggle or issue there is Hope for lasting change.
All of us are a part of a dysfunctional family. We long to belong to a family where there’s unconditional acceptance and love. Jesus came so that we could be adopted into His forever family.
All of us struggle to live the life that we long to live and be the person that we want to be. We live with regrets and a desire for a “do over”. The good news is that each and every day brings that opportunity for all of us. A New Beginning is possible because of God’s love and faithfulness.
The ultimate scandal is the most difficult to believe. The Holy One of God left all that is Holy to come and pursue the most unholy ones. Jesus came as Emmanuel to seek and to save those who were lost and running from Him. He came to rescue us when we didn’t want to be rescued. He came to bring hope to the hopeless and help for the helpless. The Most Holy One came for the most unholy ones. What greater scandal could there ever be?
How will you respond to the scandal of God’s love? Ever since the birth of Jesus people have responded in much the same way that people did at first. Herod’s response was hostility and fear. The Jewish leaders response was indifference and skepticism. The Magi’s response was to investigate and worship. How have you responded? How will you respond today?
How much money, time, and energy go into chasing the perfect Christmas? Joseph longed for the perfect marriage, the perfect life, the perfect reputation and had his world was shattered by the news that Mary was pregnant. His life became messy and confusing just like life for many of us today. But a Holy, Loving God shows up in the middle of the mess to bring us a message of hope.
We all have family members that we’d rather not discuss and those we hope will never show up-especially at Christmas. There are those in Jesus’ family that we rarely talk about, because they lived scandalous lives. But they still played a huge role in God’s plan to bring him here to earth. The fact that they’re included brings hope to those of us who have hidden things we hope no one will ever know about.