Renew San Diego: Recent Episodes
Renew San Diego
Renew San Diego is a missional, gospel-centered church committed to embodying good news to all our neighbors. When you visit you will be welcomed into a joyful community and respected as you consider the person and work of Christ and the profound impact following Jesus might have on your life and our world. Wherever you are in your spiritual journey, join in as we follow Christ to renew our neighborhoods, city and world! More info at renewsandiego.org.
Acts 9:1-20
What does it feel like to realize that we are wrong? Today we consider the power of a Paul’s conversion, and we’re invited into a conversion of our own.
Acts 8:26-39
What does it take to “get right with God”? In today’s scripture, we learn that all we need to be right with God is intention.
Acts 6:1-15; 7:54-60
Scripture is honest about the blindspots of the early church, and invites us to be honest about our own hunger for deeper meaning and connection.
JOHN 21: 1-19
Today, we see the resurrected Christ showing us what God does when we fail. What do you think God is doing when you fail?
JOHN 20: 19-31
When we read the resurrection accounts of Jesus’ life, we encounter a story that has influenced the world and continues to do so. Today, we’re invited into that story.
LUKE 24: 1-12
If Jesus rose from the dead, then it changes everything. Today we reflect on what this means for us.
LUKE 20:9-19
Today we’re invited to let Jesus’ parable of the vineyard sink in and affect us in a new way.
LUKE 15:11-32
Today we explore the meaning and implications of Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son, and what it tells us about God and ourselves.
LUKE 13:1-9 & PSALM 63:1-8
In today’s gospel passage, Jesus invites us to reconsider the ways we think about sin and repentance.
LUKE 13:31-35
In today’s gospel story, we see that the kingdom of the world is juxtaposed with the kingdom of God. They don’t share the same values, and we’re invited to choose where we belong.
MATTHEW 6:1-6,16-21
Today we hear from Rev. Laurel Mathewson on the practice of prayer in St. Teresa of Avila’s “Interior Castle,” and how we can deepen our prayers in the season of Lent.
LUKE 9:28-36
The Gospel story for today invites into a mysterious cloud where we see Jesus transfigured, and where we have the chance to be transformed along with him.
LUKE 6:27-38
Today, we learn about Jesus’ radical call to non-violent action. What does it mean to trust that Jesus knew what he was talking about, and what kind of world would we live in if we did?
LUKE 4:21-32
We often define ourselves by our common interests and beliefs, and we place the value of our own group above that of “outsiders.” Today’s Gospel passage invites us to redefine ourselves in light of Jesus’ teaching.
LUKE 4:14-30
Today we hear from Fr. Colin from St. Luke’s about Jesus’ commitment to helping the poor and oppressed, and we’re invited to consider the ways that we can participate in his work.
JOHN 2:1-11
In the second week of Epiphany, today’s passage is an opportunity to see a sign of who Jesus the Christ really is.
LUKE 3:19-22 & ACTS 10:34-38
The baptism of Jesus is the inauguration of the Reign of God that the Hebrew people had awaited for generations. Telling the story over and over again helps it to sink into our bones.
JOHN 1: 1-5, 10-18; MATTHEW 2: 1-12
The story of Christmas is one where we are surprised by grace: people who are far away from God draw near as God draws near to them, and everyone is included.
The question for us today is: What are we looking for in our lives, and how do we respond when God comes close to us?
LUKE 2:41-52
Christmas is about God seeing the brokenness of our world and getting as close to us as possible, entering into our very story as one of us.
LUKE 2:1-14
Our native language is peace, joy, and connection. We are meant for flourishing in community, and yet we have all learned the language of violence, fear, pain, and anxiety. In the midst of all of it, Jesus comes to us and says, “Do not be afraid.”
LUKE 1:39-55
Where we direct our attention is where we end up going. In Advent, we’re invited to consider where it is we are looking and where we’re headed.
PHILIPPIANS 4:4-9 (NIV) & ZEPHANIAH 3:17 (ESV)
Advent is an opportunity to consider the things in our lives that have been vying for our attention and allegiance. We’re invited to recognize that God has sent Jesus to empower us to reorder our loves in such a way that we can orbit around Christ, the center of the universe.
LUKE 21: 25-36
What is the lens that you look through to view this moment in your life, country, and world? Advent offers us a lens that has helped countless others to see their story as taking place within the much bigger story of God’s renewing work in Christ.
JOHN 18:33–37
Without the right guidance and direction, it’s possible for our lives to be moving in the wrong direction. Today, we’re invited to consider which direction our lives are taking, and to take stock of the wise, trusted authorities we use to inform that direction.
Please forgive the buzzing!!
PSALM 16
Today, the psalmist invites us to cultivate our hinterland — the place that is set apart from the incessant demands and realities of daily life. How do we cultivate joy and trust in God’s presence, even with these demands? How does this practice help us face life with authenticity and wisdom?
PHILIPPIANS 3:17-4:7
The story of our lives and our world are playing themselves out in the context of a much grander and greater story, and we’re invited to see that bigger story as one of renewal and resurrection.
MATTHEW 5: 1-11, 43-48
Today’s passage is about peace. It’s an invitation to live a whole, vibrant, connected life. How do we live in a polarized world without becoming more bitter and exhausted? How do we become more hopeful, engaged, peaceful, and loving?
JOHN 10: 1-18
We often forget that we are completely and totally vulnerable and dependent throughout our lives. We like to think that we’re self-made and independent, but even our breath does not belong to us.
Today, we’re invited to consider our dependence upon Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
MARK 10:35-45
What is real greatness? In today’s passage, Jesus’ followers wrestle with this question, and we’re invited to consider what it looks lke in our own lives.
MARK 10: 17-31
Where is your wealth? What do you treasure or value? In today’s gospel passage, Jesus gives us a warning, counsel, and an invitation.
MARK 8:22-31
Being able to see clearly opens up the realities of this world and allows us to experience a new kind of depth and connection. Today, Jesus shows us that we are all spiritually blind in some way, and he invites us to learn how to see.
MARK 9:30-37
No matter where we are in our journey of life, we’re faced with the questions:
What does it mean to be great?
How do we continue to contribute throughout our lives? In today’s passage, Jesus tells us what it looks like to “achieve greatness.”
MATTHEW 5:43-48
What Jesus taught, preached, and commanded in the Sermon on the Mount is nothing less than staggering. In today’s sermon, we explore why Jesus commands us to love our enemies, Jesus’ invitation to actually become like him, and how this kind of transformation happens.
MARK 7: 24-37
Often Jesus will say things that, on the surface, are perplexing. In today’s gospel reading, we see Jesus giving people exactly what they need by moving toward the pain points of their lives and enacting healing.
Can you identify any pain points that Jesus is moving toward or touching?
GENESIS 1:26-31
In the creation story, we learn about who God is, the nature of the world, and the nature of humanity.
EPHESIANS 6:10-20
Today we hear about the “Armor of God” that protects against getting eaten alive by the dangers around us. We’re invited to be aware of the currents that flow underneath the surface, and we’re given guidance on what to do about them.
JOHN 6: 51-58
In today’s gospel story, Jesus is trying to get our attention and wake us up to the reality that there is living bread from heaven that we need and that is closer to us than we realize.
EPHESIANS 4:25-5:2
In today’s sermon, we receive an invitation to live like the beloved community that we are. We learn about the why, what, and how of Christian community and practice.
EPHESIANS 4: 1-16
We often go through life without paying attention, and the tyranny of the urgent distracts us from the important.
In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes to a group of diverse people to remind them who they are. The diagnostic questions for us today are: Who are you? What is important to you?
EPHESIANS 3:14-21
The love of power can drive people to do all sorts of things that are destructive & harmful. But the power of love can fuel people who feel weak to do powerful things, or powerful people to do foolish and vulnerable things.
The invitation today is to consider if there is more powerful love available to us now.
MARK 6:30-34, 53-56
Mission can drive the trajectory of our lives. Today’s gospel story invites us to consider the questions: What mission is driving this chapter of our lives? Is the fuel strong enough to sustain us?
MARK 6:14-30
Today’s gospel reading invites us to consider the questions: What are we filling our minds and hearts with? How are we marking the different way points as we navigate through this season of our lives?
MARK 6:1-13
In today’s gospel, Jesus comes home with power, authority, love, and healing, and he offends everybody.
This passage is meant to wake us up: Jesus will always offend in one way or another. How is he offending you now?
MARK 5:21-43
We will all come to a point in our lives where we wonder why God isn’t working in an area that is critically important for us. What do we do when life’s problems and difficulties get worse, not better?
In this passage, we see what Jesus is doing in the midst of the delays and challenges in our lives.
MARK 4:35-41
The storm we read about in the gospel of Mark came suddenly, in the middle of the night, and the disciples found themselves wondering how Jesus could be asleep in the middle of their crisis.
What are the storms in your life, internal and external? And what is God doing in the midst of them?
2 CORINTHIANS 5:11-21
What does it mean to fear God? Far from telling us that we ought to be afraid of God, the gospel invites us to reflect on what it would mean for Christ’s love to serve as the ordering principle of our lives.
MARK 4:26-34
When you become a Christian, you don’t lose your particular culture or identity, but you’re reborn into an entirely new culture and identity, which Jesus calls the “Kingdom of God.” Our membership in the Kingdom of God actually shapes and perfects our ability to show up as our authentic selves.
MARK 2:23-3:6
The question that comes to us from the gospel today is, What are you providing for your life in terms of nutrition? What are you hungry for? What are you filling your life with, and is it truly satisfying?
Jesus invites us to come to him with all of our pain and weariness, and he will satisfy and fulfill our needs.
COLOSSIANS 3:12-14
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you realize that you don’t have the power to do what you need to do, and you need help? How are we called to respond to these situations when we live in a world that requires self-sufficiency and independence?
JOHN 15: 26-27, 16: 5-15
In the season of Pentecost, we celebrate the outpouring of God’s Spirit, and we take time to pause and recognize where the Spirit is advocating for us.
JOHN 17:1-5
The eternal life that Jesus talks about is more relational than it is transactional, more intimate than simply permanent, more personal than just a principle.
JOHN 10: 11-18
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who knows us by name and teaches us to be good shepherds in our own lives.
LUKE 24:36b-48
Pronouncements on our lives - from within and without - are powerful. What pronouncement are you living by? What if on the loud speaker of our lives we heard God saying, “You are my beloved, and I will never leave you”?
JOHN 20:19-31
Now more than ever, we’re asking if we can trust the claims of the world around us. People have been asking these same questions about the story of Jesus’ resurrection for millennia, and Jesus continues to meet them - and us - in our doubts.
MARK 16:1-8
The message of Resurrection asks us to think about what we do with the realities of beauty and brokenness in our world. In Christ, God’s response to all of it is to enter in and be affected as deeply as we can imagine.
MARK 11:1-11
When the people of Jerusalem welcomed Jesus into the city, they were probably expecting a military leader who would deliver them from their oppressors. What they got was a king on a donkey with humble power and peace. Today we consider what it means for Jesus to come into our lives peacefully.
JOHN 12: 20-33
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some
Greeks. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and
said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew;
then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them,
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly, I tell
you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a
single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life
lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal
life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my
servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
27 “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me
from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28
Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have
glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd standing there heard it
and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30
Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31 Now
is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven
out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to
myself.” 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
JOHN 3: 14-21
Jesus sees the venom of this world and of our lives, and he takes it upon himself to rescue us.
JOHN 2:13-22
Today’s passage in John’s gospel affirms the complexity of our and Jesus’ humanity by giving us a picture of what righteous anger looks like.
Following Christ doesn’t mean being nice at all costs. In Jesus, we see the unification of kindness and a passion for justice, and we’re invited to find this balance in our own lives.
What injustice makes you angry?
MARK 8:31-38
The 40 days of Lent come to us with the reminder: we are dust.
In the gospel passage, we’re faced with the question, “What does it profit you to gain the whole world, but lose your soul?”; “What are you focusing on, and where are you heading?” Jesus asks us these questions in the most direct way, but it’s always within the context of the safest relationship.
LUKE 4: 1-15
Our practice of fasting during Lent is an invitation to align ourselves with Jesus, who spent 40 days in the wilderness. It all starts with the questions: are you aware that right now, you are on a journey? What is your life’s trajectory?
MARK 9: 2-9
In the story Jesus’ transfiguration, we see Jesus for who he is, and we receive roadmap for our own transformation.
MARK 1:29-39
In the beginning of Mark’s gospel, Jesus comes to us and tells us what’s coming. Now he’s showing us what it looks like. “The kingdom of God is at hand, and if you want to know what it looks like, look at my life.”
MARK 1: 21-28
Today we come to a significant part of the gospel, where Jesus displays the authority and power that he has.
The invitation for us is to note the value of who Jesus is and what he’s actually inviting us into. When we let it sink in, it has the power to change everything for us.
MARK 1:14-20
In today’s gospel story, we witness Jesus calling four fishermen to follow him into a life of deep meaning and purpose. We consider who is doing the calling, whom Jesus calls, what the invitation is, and how Jesus calls.
MARK 1:1-15
Mark’s gospel is saying that God has done something in our world and our history that changes everything.
What would it mean to experience this as good news in our own lives?
JOHN 1:1-14, 18
In the Jesus, the Word Made Flesh, we are given a glimpse of hope for our lives and our world: It tells us that something new can happen in the midst of the old, and we are invited to participate in the grander story of God’s renewing love.
LUKE 2:1-20
Pastor Greg tells the story of God’s rescuing Love breaking into our world in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth
2 SAMUEL 11:1–5, 14–17; 12:1–7
In the story of King David and Bathsheba, we see a picture of a God whom we can run toward in our loneliness and pain.
RUTH 1:8–17; 4:13–17
In the story of Ruth shows us that God is at work in mundane times and tragic times; when we can see God at work, and when it feels like our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and returning to us, empty.
GENESIS 38: 11-19, 24-30
The story of Tamar and Judah is about breakthrough. We learn how the grace of God breaks out and breaks through to people who are walking in darkness.
In what ways can you identify with Tamar or Judah?
EPHESIANS 1: 15-23
Every day, we have a million messages coming at us telling us what’s important. When we look at how we spend our time, energy, and resources, what do we learn about what we value in life?
In today’s passage, the apostle Paul writes to us from prison and brings Christ as King to our attention. What would it look like if we considered Christ as the basis of our identity?
HEBREWS 2: 10-18
In this episode, we unravel the profound significance of Jesus as The True Priest. Join us for a deep dive into his life and teachings, exploring the transformative power of his ministry. Through insightful discussions we illuminate the unique qualities that make Jesus the ultimate divine mediator.
JONAH 3:10 - 4:11
God’s grace changes Jonah. This week we explore God’s Scandalous Grace. How does God view the “other”?What does God do with our failure? The same God that is pursuing you is pursuing the" “other”. We invite you to look deeper into God’s pursuit of you and the “other”.
EPHESIANS 1: 1-22
This week we explore hope and what it means to have faith in God through out all chapters of our lives. Join us as we are invited to bare beloved-ness as we look at our view of the future and how it fully determines how we are living now.
JOHN 8:31-36
Join us in our feast of hope as we explore an invitation from Jesus. Jesus is not simply offering behavior modification but to remind us that the truest thing about us is that we are all apart of the family of God.
1 JOHN 4: 7-21
Love is from God. We invite you to explore how we abide in God’s perfect and bold love. As we approach these scriptures both hopeful and confused we allow ourselves to love God through our doubts.
LUKE 4: 16-20
We come before God a beautiful mess and we invite you to become more inexplicable and attractive as we seek the kingdom of God. We ask God to anoint us to be liberators of others. Join us, as we explore what it is to live freely and open handed in the body of Christ.
1 CORINTHIANS 15: 1-8
Is the world getting better or worse? God asks us to hold firmly. We come to this picture of what it means to trust Jesus and build a community that loves one another.
REVELATION 21:1-5, 22-26
As we come together and reflect on our different perspectives as a church we revisit how we all are called to respond and move towards a personal sacrificial love for God.
JEREMIAH 29: 1, 4-14
Today we begin a series on the DNA of Renew Church as a church in the city, for the city. We believe it’s critical we remember who we are, and why we’re here to be effective in bringing God’s renew to our community.
MARK 12:28-34
Today, we consider what the Kingdom of God is about. What gets in the way of our pursuit, causing us to miss the mark, and what helps us to move forward toward our goal?
MATTHEW 16:13-20
In the midst of a swirling sea of commerce, activity, new ideas, competing values and allegiances, Jesus comes to his disciples — and to us — and asks, “Who do you say that I am?” Today, we’re invited to honestly receive and answer this question.
ISAIAH 56:1, 6-8
In today’s passage, we’re met with the reality of God’s radical welcome for the outcast, and we’re invited to consider the call to mirror that welcome in our interactions with those that are different. The church is meant to be a place of prayer for ALL people.
The question for us today is: Who is an outcast to you? To whom are you called to extend God’s radical welcome?
MATTHEW 14: 22-33
Sometimes we go from joy to terror in an instant. We don’t get to choose when the storms of life will overtake us or threaten to sink the ship.
What do you do when your life feels like a sinking ship? In today’s passage, we learn what the storm teaches us about life, what Peter teaches us about ourselves, and what Jesus teaches us about himself.
MATTHEW 14: 13-21
In today’s passage, Jesus speaks directly to our experience of hunger - spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational. We’re invited to look inside at the ways that we experience hunger, to receive what we need from the only one who can truly provide it, and to turn outward toward a hungry world.
2 PETER 1:1-11
Knowing Jesus is about more than knowing information. It’s like knowing a mighty river through years of practice navigating its waters. It’s about putting ourselves out there “into the river,” learning, growing, and responding.
ROMANS 8:12-25
If we take an honest look at the world around us, we realize that we are unable to completely eliminate suffering in our own lives and the lives of others.
Scripture comes to us and tells us that suffering and disappointment will come. The question is, how do we face it? Is there a way to face the sorrows and discomforts of this world that doesn’t make us more cynical, hard, or disconnected?
MATTHEW 10: 40 - 42
Today we hear from our friends at Masala Ministries, Jai and Sarah Seelan, about what embodying Jesus’ call to welcome those in need really looks like.
LUKE 3:21-22
Today we hear from guest preacher Jon Huckins about our identities as beloved children of God. In the story of Jesus’ baptism, we see that Jesus is called beloved by God before he does anything. The invitation for us is to journey back to our truest selves, as a community.
MATTHEW 13:1-9, 18-23
What is your view of God and God’s guidance in your life? the Bible at its core is about who God is, what God is doing, what God has done in Jesus, and how God calls us to participate in ongoing renewal.
In the parable of the four soils, Jesus is asking us a diagnostic question: If your life is a garden, what kind of soil do you have? What is growing in your life?
COLOSSIANS 3:1-17
Today we hear from guest preacher Rev. Kevin Portillo on the way of love that Christians are invited into when we follow Jesus.
MATTHEW 9:35 - 10:8
Today we see the moment where it all began for the disciples — when he called them by name and sent them out to do the things he did. Jesus calls the most unlikely of people to come together, and he sends them out for the good of the world. We consider the mission, method, and means of the Kingdom that Jesus proclaims.
MATTHEW 9:9-13, 18-26
It’s often the people we meet along the way that make our journeys memorable. We see the journey of God’s renewal through Jesus in the stories of people who were invited into the adventure. In these different contexts, we see Jesus’ call, his closeness, and his cure.
MATTHEW 28: 16-20
Why do stories of generosity wake something up in us? We are enlivened by stories of deep relationships because that’s what we are designed for. On Trinity Sunday, we see the relationality and communion that is built into the fabric of reality.
ACTS 2:!-7
On Pentecost Sunday, we learn what it looks like to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
JOHN 17: 20-24, ACTS 1: 6-11
The reality of our world is that beautiful and terrible things will happen, and we are called to pray for renewal while we work for that renewal. The scripture comes into this complexity and shows us our calling to be a unified community on a mission, with welcome and a witness.
JOHN 14: 15 - 27
On the night that Jesus was betrayed, he said to his friends, “I will never leave you.”
Are you aware of the ways in which your need to be held, loved, and not abandoned are driving all sorts of behaviors in your life?
What if the truest thing about you is that you are deeply known and loved?
This is what Jesus is offering us today.
JOHN 14:1-14
What does it mean to be people of the Way? What are the challenges faced by people of the way?
LUKE 24: 13-35
In this story, two followers of Jesus who had walked with him for a long time almost miss him while on the road to Emmaus. God was in their midst, and they didn’t realize it because their attention was elsewhere.
What has captured your attention? Is it possible that God is closer to you right now than you can imagine, and you’re missing it?
JOHN 10:1-15
There are all sorts of signs operating in our lives that tell us how to find satisfaction, security, and identity. These messages are often traps, and they make us more anxious, unsatisfied, and lost.
Jesus comes to us and says, “Let me guide you.”
JOHN 20:19-31
In this story, we see the ways that Jesus moves toward us in our doubts and our questions with grace and love, saying, “Peace be with you.”
The first faith question that every person is asking is not: “Is Jesus God?” but “Can God be trusted?” or “Is God for us?” The resurrection is saying, “Yes, God can be trusted, God is turning our crucifixions into life.”
— Richard Rohr
The Good News According to Luke
MATTHEW 21: 1-17
We are invited to participate in the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is a story of a king unlike any other, who speaks truth to oppressive power and demonstrates what God’s kingdom is really like.
JOHN 11: 1-45
When we live and walk with Jesus, the world begins to open up to us.
The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead teaches not to skip over the pain in our lives. In Jesus, our tears and our hopes are held and affirmed.
JOHN 9: 1-41
There’s something far more difficult than not being able to physically see — it’s to be spiritually blind, to not see the reality of the world around you, or to live as if all that we see is all that there is. Jesus invites us to see that there is something deeper going on in our world and with our lives.
JOHN 4:5-29, 39-42
The living water that Jesus offers the Woman at the Well changes everything about her. This morning we see grace that pursues, exposes in order to heal, and sends us out to lives that are renewed.
MATTHEW 5:21-37
We often wake up to find that we’ve been on autopilot, and we’ve drifted from the direction that we want to go.
In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we learn how can reorient our lives and become who we were created to be.
JOHN 3:1-17
For some of us, the phrase “born-again” carries a negative connotation. In today’s passage, we witness an interaction between Jesus and the educated religious leader, Nicodemus, who is told he must be born again.
We’re invited to learn from Jesus what new birth actually is, why it’s necessary, and how it happens.
MATTHEW 4:1-11
Today we look at the story of Jesus’ temptation in the desert, and how it fits into the season of Lent.
Sometimes the Spirit leads us to places that are challenging, where we come to the end of ourselves.
What is it that we’re longing to be rescued from? What is it that we’re longing to be rescued for?
God meets us at this very juncture of our limits, our needs, and God’s love.
MATTHEW 17: 1-9
Today, we are invited to reconsider the story of the Transfiguration with new eyes. We learn who Jesus is, what he came to do, and how we can respond.
MICAH 6:1-8
We know all too well that we live in a world that is cruel and filled with contradiction.
What do we do with the evil that is out there? What do we do with the contradiction and brokenness that we find within us?
MATTHEW 4: 12-23
When we read passages about the Kingdom of Heaven, we are invited to slow down and walk through Jesus’ words. Underneath it all is the question that we all ask: What is God like?
Christianity says: if you want to know, look at Jesus
JOHN 1:29-42, GALATIANS 3:27
Jesus’ invitation to “come and see” brings us face-to-face with the power behind the entire universe. This invitation asks important questions of us:
What are we paying attention to? Are we intentionally going through life with focus, or is life just happening to us, one scene at a time?
MATTHEW 2: 1-12
Epiphany means manifestation. The Great Epiphany invites us to be surprised by grace. We’re invited to pause and open ourselves up to new ways of being and seeing that will transform us and the world we live in.
Ephesians 5:8-14
Why does it matter to be intentional about living as people of light in this world?
LUKE 2:1-20
We celebrate the Light breaking into the darkness that is in our lives. Like the shepherds in the gospel story, God meets us in the places we least expect.
LUKE 1:39-55
Today we consider what Advent means in the midst of the highs and lows of our lives. It brings us a question:
Why has this happened to me?
And it offers an answer and an invitation to deeper awareness and connection.
John 1:1-5, 14; John 3:16
We are designed to be generous, but it doesn’t come naturally.
The longer we wait to give our lives generously, the less time we have for the beautiful life of grace.
Today we examine the source of living a generous life, why it matters, and how we can do it.
Luke 1:5-22
Advent is a story that invites us to participate.
Waiting with our longings can result in disappointment, bitterness, and hopelessness if we’re not waiting in trustful expectation. We can lose sight of God’s goodness, forget God’s promises, and feel unseen, unheard, and forgotten.
We are invited to make room in our hearts for God’s promises through prayer.
2 Timothy 3:14-17
The wisdom of the church says that one day a year is enough to celebrate the coming light of Christ.
Today we begin a series on waiting and watching for Jesus’ coming with spiritual disciplines.
Everybody has a grand narrative. Are we aware of ours, and how it drives our life? Together, we consider what it would look like for our grand narrative to be based on the Scriptures.
Luke 10:25-37
Today we hear about the work that our partners Mama Lilly and her husband, Dennis, are doing for orphans, widows, and those who are vulnerable in South Sudan.
Matthew 5:1-12
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
It costs to be a Christian. We don’t gain points for choosing not to go with the crowd.
But there’s also a gift that we receive from the friction we experience — it purifies and deepens our connection to God.
Matthew 5:1-12
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
When we are hurt, we hurt others both intentionally and unintentionally. Jesus breaks the cycle of violence and gives us the power to do the same.
Matthew 5:1-12
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
In and through Jesus, we learn to follow the narrow and difficult path of peacemaking and to allow the kingdom of God to bring wholeness and shalom into the world through us.
Matthew 5:1-12
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
The word “pure” means to be integrated, to have a whole heart. The opposite of exhaustion is not just rest, but whole-heartedness.
Is it possible to go through this fast-paced life, and not become more scattered and disintegrated, but to become focused, whole-hearted, present, and fully alive?
MATTHEW 5: 1-12
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
The claim of Christianity that we see embodied in Jesus Christ is justice, mercy, and grace, all wrapped together.
Mercy is the key that unlocks the door to the good news of God’s salvation.
MATTHEW 5: 1-12
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled
What if the kingdom of heaven really is at hand? Jesus says that in the midst of everything going on in our world, there is always hope.
MATTHEW 5: 1-12
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Meekness is not weakness, but strength under control. We are meek when we know who we are and no longer need to use our power or privilege to get ahead.
MATTHEW 5: 1-12
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
How do we deal with our grief? Do we put on a happy face and pretend like it’s not there?
The beatitudes teach us that mourning is a healthy and necessary part of being human and following Jesus.
If we have nothing to mourn about, maybe we aren’t paying attention to what’s going on around us.
MATTHEW 5: 1-12
Blessed are the poor in spirit
The Beatitudes are not prescriptions of how we should try to live, but descriptions.
Even when you find yourself poor in spirit, when the world tells you that God has forgotten you, you are still blessed in the presence of the One who knows you.
JEREMIAH 29:4-16
When we look at what is around us and cooperate with God to bring shalom into our neighborhoods and cities, truly amazing things happen.
No matter who you meet today, they have suffered.
No matter who you engage with today, they have stories of challenges that they have overcome or are trying to overcome.
The ripple effects of renewal are long last, and reach much farther than we will ever know.
Ephesians 4:1-16
Paul tells us that we are far more valuable, honorable, and important than we realize, and he admonishes us to act like it.
In Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and his spirit that comes to us, we hear him say, “You are my beloved, in whom I’m well pleased. That’s the truest thing about you, so remember that when you go out into the world.”
The call to be reunited to God, reconnected to one another, and redirected out into the world is the life-blood of the Christians in every time, place, and language.
ACTS 19:23-41
If we turn good things into ultimate things, they become idols that will ultimately crumble. An idol is whatever we look to aside from God to tell ourselves that everything will be okay, that we’re secure, and that we have meaning.
Our work, image, and relationships are good things, but they will always let us down when they become the ultimate thing.
We're invited to turn to God as our source of joy and meaning.
ACTS 17: 16-34
Our monuments tell us about what we value.
The Athenians’ monument to the “Unknown god” is also a picture of one of our deepest longings: we long for a connection to the transcendent.
Paul makes the case that this longing can be fulfilled in the God who has been revealed in Jesus of Nazareth.
What are the monuments in your life? Can you imagine putting your faith in something that actually makes you more resilient, when all else fails?
ACTS 9:36-43
When we encounter Jesus, it is common for us to think, “How can this be?”
Jesus is so approachable and human, and yet to get in proximity to him is to have your life and perspective changed.
ACTS 10:27-48
God’s renewal comes first through God’s own initiative. In all conversions, there is always a moment when we realize that it’s God who is pursuing us.
God pursues us with more love than we are able to give to ourselves.
Where are you invited to recognize God’s love and renewal in your life?
ACTS 9: 1-19
Everyone is in a process of conversion and transformation. The question is, are you aware of what’s working on you? Are you consciously aware of the person that you are becoming?
ACTS 8:26-39
Our culture has made the fear of those who are different from us a sport. At the core of the gospel is a call to bring different groups of people together in Christ with unity, charity, and grace. The gospel has the unique power to break through all sorts of walls that we have built against one another.
ACTS 6:8-14; 7:1-2A, 51-60; 8:1-2
Christianity presents one of the best systems for handling suffering in the world. There is a God who has suffered on our behalf and walks through with us now and will one day heal all things.
ACTS 6: 1-7
The earliest church, all the way to the church today, and the local church, all the way to the global church, is not only a movement, it’s a community.
The church has always been made up of different people who wouldn’t normally be a part of each other’s lives - it was and is a diverse family.
We are invited to gather around Jesus together, with our differences
Today we hear from our friend, Pastor Rob Yackley.
Priscilla and Aquila are unsung heroes of the Christian faith. From their example, we learn what it means to be hospitable and consistent.
When we invite people into our homes and show them the life we were meant to live, we have the opportunity to fuel hope, address struggles, be seated as equals, and let petty divides wilt away.
ROMANS 8:12-25
Today we hear from Greg Ehlert
Flesh and spirit are two ways of being in the world. To live in the flesh is to live as though we are at the center of the universe.
We are invited to live in the Spirit, to be God-centered and Others-centered, and to bear the image of a loving God.
JOHN 14: 15-27
Each of us has a desire deep down to know that we will be safe, secure, and held. Are you aware of your desire to be known and of your fear that you are all alone in this world?
What if the truest thing about you is what Jesus says in this passage?
You are known, you are loved, you are held, and I will be with you.
JOHN 16: 12-15; GALATIANS 5: 22-26
There is something deep within us that longs for a spiritual connection. What do we do with the innate sense that there’s something more to life than meets the eye? Today, we learn what the spiritual life is, what it looks like, and how to access it.
ACTS 1:1-14
Why do bad things happen to good people?
We are reeling with sorrow and confusion from the tragedies in Uvalde, Buffalo, and Orange County, and our spirits cry out for justice and an end to violence. What does it mean to believe in a God who suffers with us; who knows what it’s like to be abandoned; who knows the suffering of losing a child to senseless violence.
The cross is our example of how God deals with suffering - Jesus enters into it and experiences all of it with us.
LUKE 24: 13-35
This story is about the ways that we long for God to break into our lives, but we find it hard to believe that God is there. We long for deeper meaning and relationships, but things just seem shallow.
What are you focusing on in life right now? What has captured your attention?
Is it possible that God is closer to you than the air you breathe, but you just can’t recognize it?
MATTHEW 28: 11-20
Are you aware of what your focus or mission is?
Today, Jesus gives us, in his resurrected appearance to his followers, the mission of the church - what we exist for.
Jesus comes to us in the midst of our hope and in the midst of our skepticism, and says, “Peace be with you. I know you, I love you, and I call you to myself.”
The season of Easter and Resurrection Hope continues as we hear the story of how our friends Chris and Sarah have begun to experience the grace and presence of God in a difficult season of their lives.
Join us Sunday at 9:30 am as we continue to listen to and celebrate stories of resurrection hope! See you soon!
MATTHEW 28: 1-10
Are you aware of the ways that fear and anxiety are driving all sorts of behaviors in your life? We live in a time where we are more connected than ever, but we feel lonelier than ever. We have more resources than ever before, and we feel like it’s never enough. No matter what we try…anxiety still creeps in.
Jesus comes to us and says, “Do not be afraid. I give you a peace that’s not like the peace the world gives.”
What does it look like to employ that kind of peace in our lives?
The season of Easter and Resurrection Hope continues as we hear the story of how our friend Brian began to find healing and hope through a consistent community around him.
Join us Sunday at 9:30 am as we continue to listen to and celebrate stories of resurrection hope! See you soon!
JOHN 21: 1-19
What do we do with deep failure in our lives? What do we do with that voice inside that tells us we are failures?
Jesus’ disciples failed him in his time of need. They have broken down relationally, ethically, and vocationally, and Jesus moves toward them to show hospitality and welcome.
We’re encouraged by Lori’s testimony of resurrection hope.
Where has God brought new life out of the dark and hurting places in your life?
JOHN 20: 19-31
We are slow to trust because we have trusted in the past, and we have been hurt or let down.
Is there a way to have a faith in Jesus that is strong enough to hold us through the storms of life?
LUKE: 24: 1-12
How do we respond to a world we feel isn’t the way it’s supposed to be?
Is it possible to live in this world, with all its difficulty, confusion, and sadness, and actually face it with buoyancy, joy, and resilience?
The resurrection is the answer to the meaningless of death: There’s new creation breaking forth in the midst of the old; death doesn’t have the last word; we can have hope in any situation.
MATTHEW 21: 1-17
There is something in the human heart that when it sees something that is captivating has to stop and be in awe. Jesus is coming into Jerusalem in our story, and the people stop what they’re doing and flock to him in amazement.
They realized they were in the presence of power and greatness that was truly good.
Jesus is a king unlike any other, who comes in peace for the sake of everyone at great cost to himself.
EXODUS 19: 1-6; 20:1-17
The ten commandments are ancient wisdom for modern temptations. They are rules that, when honored, hold us together both individually as integrated people and communally as a connected society. When they are ignored or broken, we are disintegrated. Today, we explore how the ten commandments lead to greater freedom.
Psalm 13
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken. But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because he has dealt bountifully with me.”
We live in a world of pain, loss, anger, and confusion. Unless we treat these things, we will burn from within.
Where do you go with the sorrow, pain, and disappointment in your life?
“Lament, the ancient art of crying out before God, provides us with a means of honest and raw expression in times when our grief is too much to bear. It does not offer a quick and tidy theological answer; rather it invites us to bring ourselves fully to a God who can handle our pain perhaps more than we’ve ever imagined.” - Rev. Dr. Chuck DeGroat
God can rescue us in one moment, but it can take a lifetime for us to believe it. God takes us through the wilderness for our own good so that we can learn to receive the gift of grace.
This passage from Exodus 12 starts with devastating oppression of God’s people in slavery in Egypt, and it seems like God is not paying attention. Day after day, year after year, the people cry out for justice…
And the punchline of the story is that God is at work to rescue.
What feels like wilderness in your life? We probably don’t have to look too deeply to find a part of our lives that feels uncontrollable, confusing, and chaotic. What if that is the exact spot where God wants to show up and surprise you?
The story of Transfiguration reveals who Jesus really is. In it we get a deeper glimpse into who God is and what God is like:
Dazzling beauty and power that moves toward us in love to rescue us.
How do we deal with those little deaths that we experience each day, let alone the big losses in our lives?
It’s critical that we have a worldview strong enough to hold us through the ups and downs and uncertainties of life, one that is both dazzlingly hopeful and critically honest.
When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, he shows us that there is new life even in the midst of dead ends.
How do you respond when your life feels like a boat that’s taking on water, when things aren’t getting better, and when there’s no end in sight? How do you deal with the feeling of not having it all together or of living in what seems like a storm in the open ocean?
Jesus promises, “ I will walk toward you in the midst of the storm, I will walk with you, and I’ll even get in the boat that’s sinking.”
The feeding of the 5000 shows us that God has compassion for us in our lack. Jesus chooses to demonstrate his power by moving toward those who are hungry and by giving them what they need.
Jesus sees the pain and hardship in our lives and enters into our story to help us carry our burdens. Not only that, but he also transforms us and sends us out to help heal the brokenness of a hurting world.
In this scene, Jesus finds the man by the pool. Jesus sees him and goes to him, even though the man doesn’t exhibit any faith.
The principle that Christianity presents to us in this story is that the spiritual life is not so much your journey of finding God; it’s the realization that God has been looking for you.
Like a shepherd in search of a lost sheep, here we see Jesus — the Good Shepherd — going after this man even as he’s giving up.
Where do you need to see that Jesus is pursuing you right now?
Because Jesus is the Son of God, we can have hopeful, buoyant comfort in the midst of the difficulties we’re going through right now. It also means we have an avenue to pursue peace with anyone, especially those we can’t stand or disagree with, and even those who’ve wronged us.
Jesus brings the joy the experiences in our lives can’t bring us. Rather than mere happiness that is dependent upon our circumstances, he gives us joy like an oak log burning in our core. We can face heartache and uncertainty from a place of hope, honesty, and resilience.
God comes to you and says, “I see you, I know you, and I love you, and I’ve called you my own.” An identity that can never be taken away, no matter what. What if you received that as the truest indicator of who you are?
The wise men were educated outsiders and the shepherds were uneducated insiders. In the birth of Christ, “God with us,” people who don’t belong together gather to meet God.
The thing that holds our church together is that people who don’t belong together gather around Jesus for the sake of those who don’t belong.
Join us Sunday mornings at 9:30 as we gather as an Unlikely Coalition around Christ, who honors our differences and draws us closer together.
The Light of Christ is the Christmas gift that we never get tired of. Even now, we are invited to unwrap deep and lasting joy, hope, peace, and love in the gift of God’s in-breaking light that renews the world.
In Christ, God’s light comes to you, now.
Receive it. Breathe it in. Trust it, and share this light with others.
It takes courage to let the light into our lives and it might be uncomfortable, but it is in the light that we experience the fullness of love.
Joy isn't the same thing as happiness, and it doesn't have to be based on our circumstance.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27
Today’s scripture reading comes from John 18:33-37, NRSV:
33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” 35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Theme: Jesus is the true king, a king like no other, and he uses his power to lay down life so we can have life.
How do you live in a world where people will oppose you and disagree with you, and even wrong you... and not become more bitter and cynical; but rather more warm, connected, hopeful and resilient?
In this passage, we consider 1) the problem (we have to admit our hunger), 2) the solution (how Jesus feeds us) and 3) the invitation to feast on Jesus and join him in mission to feed others.
In this scripture, we consider: 1) The promise that God will work all things for good, 2) The definition of what this means, and 3) The guarantee that God is indeed at work for our good, especially in our weakness and difficulties.
In today's passage, we consider that life with Jesus brings us 1) Freedom from fear, 2) Meaning in suffering and 3) Patient Hope in our difficulties.
How do we live in times of uncertainty and cultivate deep roots in good soil? Today, we explore the seed that is planted, the soil of our souls, and the sower who does good work of renewal especially in times such as these.
As Jesus calls his diverse inner group of friends to the outward facing mission that will change the world; we examine Jesus' Compassion, Jesus' Companions, and Jesus' Commission.
Pentecost celebrates God's Spirit poured into each of us and envisions God’s New Creation Kingdom that includes people of every ethnicity and culture joining together in a great feast where every tear is dried from every eye, every injustice is made right and death itself is no more. We are called to be citizens and ambassadors of that kingdom, especially now.
This week, we explore and receive Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit, which is God's personal, powerful presence... in you... for the sake of the world!
In this season of Coronavirus Pandemic, we listen to Jesus as he invites us: "Do not let your hearts be troubled." Jesus connects us to God the Father, goes to prepare a place for us, and sends us out to serve and love others in the same way he cares for us.
Today we consider what it means that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and why this ultimately matters to each of us... and the entire world.
Today we consider how to miss seeing Jesus (even when he's walking with you), how to find him (you don't--he finds you!) and how to follow him.
Jesus comes and stands in the midst of his friends' fears, doubts, sadness and confusion and proclaims, "Peace be with you." Let's look together at the peace Jesus brings and how we access it.
In today's passage, we consider the new life that Jesus invites us into... and how we enter into it! We'll explore the extremity, necessity, means and impact of new life with Christ.
This week, we consider Jesus’ calling to preserve and restore all that is broken in our world… and illuminate all that is good and glorious!
As Jesus gives one of his most famous sermons, we learn the upside down nature of the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness... for they shall be filled."
As we follow Christ to renew our neighborhoods, city and world… We look at Jesus’ invitation to follow him, which entails 1) A call to transformation, 2) A call to relationship and 3) A call to healing.
In this passage, we see Jesus invite his first followers into the adventure of a lifetime as he says, “Come and see… Follow me… You will see greater things than these!” This is the same invitation he makes to you and me, today. How do you respond?
As we baptize and bring in new members of the church this day, we reflect on Jesus' baptism as we see 1) His identity, 2) He identifies with us, and 3) He offers us a new, truer identity.
As we celebrate the season of Advent in preparation for Christmas, we consider the gifts of Faith, Hope and Love and what it means to live in these virtues!
The first of our Advent series, where we examine what it means to live a life of trust and faith as we prepare to celebrate Christmas.