Grace Chapel Wilsonville: Recent Episodes
Grace Chapel
Welcome to the weekly message from Grace Chapel in Wilsonville Oregon.
Our Concern: What bothers and drives us? We believe that humanity is broken and fragmented.
Our Cause: How do we address this concern? To experience and express the essence of Jesus Christ.
For more information visit www.gracechapelonline.org
Drawing from John 15 and 16, this sermon confronts what Jesus identifies as the greatest spiritual danger facing his followers: the slow drift away from allegiance to him. Using the Greek root of the phrase "fall away" -- skandalizo, from which the English word "scandal" derives -- Mike teaches that the true scandal of the Christian life is not found in cultural or political controversies, but in the subtle, incremental process by which a believer exchanges the values of Jesus for the values of the world. The sermon challenges listeners to examine their personal values and assess whether those values align with Christ or with the world's system. It emphasizes that the Holy Spirit serves as both advocate and guide, working to convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, while also protecting believers from the snares that lead to spiritual compromise. The sermon closes with a call to communal prayer and mutual encouragement as a means of resisting spiritual drift.
Read John 15:13-17
Jesus redefined friendship not as convenience but as covenant. He told his disciples that the greatest expression of love is laying down one's life for a friend. This kind of friendship demands loyalty, not just affection. Consider the values guiding your daily decisions. Are they rooted in the character of Jesus or shaped by the approval of the world around you? True friendship with Jesus means aligning your heart with his words, even when that alignment costs you something. Today, ask yourself honestly: whose friendship am I most loyal to when no one is watching? What is one area of your life where your values may be more shaped by the world than by Jesus? Write down your top three values and compare them honestly against the words and character of Jesus. Surrender any misalignment to him in prayer today.
Discussion Questions:
-The sermon drew a sharp contrast between the value systems of the world and the values of Jesus -- when you look honestly at how you spend your time, money, and energy, which value system do your choices most reflect?
-The sermon suggests that the enemy does not need to convince you Jesus is not real, only that he is not good -- have you ever experienced a season where unanswered prayer or suffering caused you to quietly doubt God's goodness, and how did you navigate that?
-The sermon described how a slow drift away from Jesus often begins with small, incremental substitutions of worldly values for his values -- what relationships in your life help you detect that kind of drift before it becomes a full departure?
In this message, Mike explores one of the most striking moments in Jesus' final hours with his disciples -- his deliberate choice to redefine their relationship from servants to friends. Drawing from John 15, the sermon unpacks what it means that Jesus, the Lord of all creation, extended the title of "friend" to his followers. Mike challenges the congregation to move beyond a purely transactional or performance-based faith and into the deep, loyal, and sacrificial friendship that Jesus modeled through his death. Using the biblical definition of love from 1 Corinthians 13 as the foundation, the sermon argues that true friendship with Jesus requires choosing his value system over the world's, holding fast to conviction while remaining relationally engaged with those who do not yet know him.
Read John 15:12-17
Jesus does not merely tolerate your presence -- he chooses you. In John 15, he draws a striking line between servants and friends, and then deliberately places you on the friend side of that line. A servant follows orders without understanding the master's heart. A friend is brought into confidence, trusted with purpose, and loved with loyalty. This was not a casual invitation. It was spoken on the eve of the cross, which means it cost something. Sit with this today: the God who spoke the universe into existence looked at you and said, you are my friend. Receive that.
What would change in your daily walk with God if you approached him as a friend rather than a distant authority? Set aside ten minutes today not to make requests of God, but simply to be present with him. Practice the kind of friendship that does not always need something fixed.
Discussion Questions:
-Jesus deliberately shifted the relationship with his disciples from servants to friends -- what personal barriers, whether rooted in legalism, past wounds, or a sense of unworthiness, prevent you from truly seeing yourself as a friend of God rather than merely a servant?
-The sermon describes friendship as never neutral but always formative, shaping who we become -- in what ways have your closest friendships either drawn you toward or pulled you away from a deeper walk with Jesus?
-Jesus warned his disciples that choosing friendship with him would mean the world would hate them, just as it hated him first -- where in your life are you most tempted to compromise your convictions in order to maintain the approval of the world?
Emma leads the congregation through John 15:1-11, exploring what it means to truly abide in Jesus as the true vine. Rather than treating spiritual fruit as a personal achievement or to-do list, she emphasizes that genuine, lasting fruit grows naturally from a deep, intentional connection to Christ. Drawing on the imagery of vineyards, root systems, and the gardener's care, she presents abiding not as a passive state but as an active, daily practice of seeking and acknowledging God's presence. She also highlights the essential role of the church community in sustaining and deepening that abiding life, concluding with a guided time of corporate scripture meditation to move the congregation from hearing about abiding to actually practicing it together.
Read John 15:1-11
Jesus does not invite us to try harder. He invites us to stay closer. In this passage, he makes a striking claim: apart from him, we can produce nothing of lasting value. The branch does not strain to grow fruit. It simply stays connected to the vine and fruit becomes the natural result. The same is true for us. Patience, gentleness, love, and peace are not disciplines we master through sheer willpower. They are the overflow of a life rooted in Jesus. Today, resist the urge to manufacture fruit on your own. Simply remain.
Where in your life are you straining to produce fruit through your own effort?
What would it look like to release that area to Jesus today? Choose one moment today to pause, put your hands open at your sides, and simply acknowledge that you need Jesus. Let that posture become a prayer.
Discussion Questions:
-Jesus describes himself as the vine and his Father as the gardener in John 15:1-2, where the gardener both removes unfruitful branches and prunes fruitful ones to produce even more fruit -- what does this tell us about the nature of God's involvement in our lives, and how does it change the way you respond to seasons of loss or pruning?
-Emma described abiding as intentionally seeking and acknowledging God's presence in every moment and allowing that presence to change you from the inside out -- in what areas of your daily life do you find it most difficult to maintain that kind of intentional awareness of God?
-The sermon draws a distinction between striving to produce the fruits of the Spirit through personal effort versus naturally bearing fruit as a result of remaining in Jesus -- where in your own life have you noticed the difference between manufactured fruit and fruit that grew out of genuine connection with God?
This sermon explores Jesus's final words to His disciples in the Upper Room, focusing on His promise not to leave them as orphans. The central message addresses how believers often struggle with an "orphan spirit"—a mindset of living as though we are abandoned, unprotected, and forced to survive on our own, rather than as beloved sons and daughters of God. Through the promised Holy Spirit (the Paraclete), believers receive not just God's presence but His power, advocacy, and constant affirmation of their identity in Christ. The sermon challenges the congregation to stop confusing God's silence with His absence and to transition from trying to earn God's love through performance to resting in the security of being permanently adopted into His family. The key is learning to approach God's Word not as a legal obligation or audit of performance, but as a love letter from a Father who speaks life-giving promises over His children.
Read John 14:15-18
Jesus promised He would not leave us as orphans. In your moments of silence from God, remember that silence does not equal absence. The disciples faced their greatest fear—abandonment by the One who gave them identity and purpose. Yet Jesus assured them of the Holy Spirit's coming. Today, examine where you've confused God's silence with His absence. Are there unanswered prayers causing you to doubt His faithfulness? The Spirit of God stands with His arm around you, silencing every accusation. You are not forgotten. You are not abandoned. His presence is with you forever—no conditions, no clauses, just unwavering commitment to remain with you always.
Discussion Questions:
-In what ways have you confused God's silence with God's absence in your own life, and how might understanding the difference transform your relationship with Him?
-How does viewing God's Word as a love letter rather than a rulebook change the way you approach Scripture and obedience?
-Which of the promises listed in the sermon (forgiven, loved, chosen, blameless, complete, etc.) do you struggle most to believe about yourself, and why?
This sermon explores John 14:1-14, examining Jesus's words to His disciples in the Upper Room after announcing His betrayal and departure. Jake addresses how Jesus comforts troubled hearts not by changing circumstances or providing explanations, but by offering Himself as the answer. The message emphasizes that when life falls apart and we don't know which way is up, Jesus doesn't wait for our pain to be resolved before sitting with us in it. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—not just information about God, but the very presence of God with us in our darkest moments. The sermon challenges believers to stop shelving their pain and instead bring their unresolved grief, disappointment, and confusion directly to Jesus, who understands troubled hearts because He Himself was troubled.
Read John 14:1-4
Jesus speaks His most comforting words in the most painful moments. When the disciples' world was collapsing, He didn't offer explanations—He offered Himself. Notice that Jesus doesn't deny the reality of their circumstances or pretend their fear isn't valid. Instead, He acknowledges their troubled hearts while pointing them toward something greater than their circumstances. The God we serve doesn't comfort us by pretending our suffering isn't real. He enters into it with us. Today, whatever has stolen the air from your room, know that Jesus isn't waiting for you to understand it before He sits with you in it. His presence is the promise.
What circumstance are you waiting to understand before you bring it to Jesus?
Discussion Questions:
-When have you experienced a moment where the air felt like it was sucked out of the room, and how did that affect your faith in God's presence during that time?
-The pastor mentioned that we often shelve our pain and keep following God without knowing what to do with our grief or disappointment. What have you placed on the shelf, and what would it look like to bring that before Jesus today?
-Philip asks to see the Father while looking directly at Jesus. In what ways might you be asking God to reveal himself while missing his presence that is already with you?
-Jesus tells his failing, doubting disciples that they will do greater works, not because of their competency but because of his presence. How does this challenge your belief about needing to have it all together before God can use you?
This sermon explores the final night of Jesus' life, focusing on the Last Supper and the moments surrounding Judas' betrayal and Peter's denial. Jen emphasizes that Jesus, being fully God and fully man, experienced the deep pain of betrayal while knowing exactly what would happen. Despite this knowledge, Jesus chose all twelve disciples, including Judas, from the beginning of time. The sermon challenges believers to move beyond intellectual knowledge of the biblical narrative and truly enter into the emotional and spiritual reality of that night. Central to the message is Jesus' new commandment to love one another with sacrificial, unconditional love—given even in the midst of His own heartbreak. Jen emphasizes that this kind of love among believers is how the world will recognize Jesus' disciples. The sermon calls listeners to examine their own hearts for areas of betrayal, denial, pride, and fear, while remembering that Jesus continues to look at each person with the same deep love He had for His disciples.
Read John 13:18-30; 1 John 4:19
Jesus sat at that table knowing exactly who would betray Him, yet He served Judas anyway. He washed his feet. He broke bread with him. He looked at him with love. This is the scandalous nature of God's love—it doesn't wait for us to get it right. We love because He first loved us, even when we were still sinners, still betrayers, still deniers. The call to love one another isn't a suggestion for when people deserve it; it's a command for when it's hardest. Who in your life feels impossible to love right now? That person sitting across from you at work, that family member who hurt you, that fellow believer you disagree with—Jesus calls you to agape love. Not because they've earned it, but because He first loved you when you hadn't earned it either.
Discussion Questions:
-Jesus spent the entire night in prayer before choosing the twelve disciples, including Judas whom He knew would betray Him. What does this reveal about God's sovereignty and His willingness to work through human free will, even when it leads to painful outcomes?
-The sermon describes how we can become so familiar with Bible stories that we read them like novels rather than experiencing them. How might we cultivate a practice of truly entering into Scripture rather than just reading it as information?
-Jesus spoke about betrayal while sitting at the table with His betrayer, yet still looked at Judas with love. How does this challenge our understanding of loving those who hurt us or disagree with us deeply?
-Peter was so convinced he would never deny Jesus that he could not hear Jesus's loving warning. How does pride in our own faithfulness or spiritual strength make us vulnerable to falling away in moments of testing?
This sermon explores Jesus' radical act of washing the disciples' feet in the Upper Room as a demonstration of true greatness and the path to a flourishing life. Challenging cultural assumptions that equate upward mobility with success and fulfillment, the message reveals that Jesus modeled downward mobility—moving from the highest position of divine authority to the lowest position of servant. The sermon emphasizes that genuine blessing and deep soul-level joy come not from climbing over others to reach the top, but from humbling ourselves to serve others, even those who betray us. This posture of servanthood is presented as the uniform of every Jesus follower and the key to experiencing the abundant, flourishing life Christ promises.
Read John 13:6-9; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Peter's resistance to having his feet washed reveals a profound truth: sometimes it's harder to receive than to give. American culture celebrates self-sufficiency, but the Kingdom operates differently. Admitting we need help, allowing others to serve us, and being vulnerable about our weaknesses requires tremendous courage. Yet Jesus says if we won't let Him wash us, we have no part with Him. Salvation itself is an act of receiving what we cannot earn. Today, consider where pride might be blocking your blessing. Are you resisting community because you don't want to appear weak? Are you refusing help because you want to maintain control? True strength is found in vulnerability. Let someone wash your feet today—metaphorically or literally—by admitting you need prayer, help, or support.
Discussion Questions:
-How does Jesus' movement from highest authority to lowest position challenge our culture's definition of success and upward mobility?
-Why is it sometimes harder to be served than to serve, and what does our resistance to receiving help reveal about our hearts?
-How can we distinguish between serving others out of genuine humility versus serving to be recognized as the greatest servant?
-What would it look like for you to put on the uniform of a servant this week in your workplace, school, family, or neighborhood?
This sermon opens a summer series on John 13-17, known as the Upper Room Discourse, focusing on Jesus's final teachings to His disciples before the crucifixion. The central message emphasizes that our truest identity is being "the beloved of God." Rather than living to earn God's love, believers are called to live from the security of already being perfectly and completely loved by their Heavenly Father. The sermon challenges listeners to identify themselves as John did—as "the disciple whom Jesus loved"—and to reject the lies of shame, condemnation, and performance-based religion. Jesus's sacrificial love on the cross demonstrates the ultimate expression of this complete, selfless love that defines who we are as His children.
Read John 13:1-3; 1 John 3:16
Jesus knew His hour had come, yet His focus remained on loving His disciples "to the end"—completely and perfectly. This wasn't just chronological love; it was ultimate, sacrificial love demonstrated through the cross. John identified himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved," not from arrogance, but from understanding his truest identity. Today, consider how you define yourself. Do you lead with your failures, accomplishments, or roles? Or do you embrace your deepest truth—that you are God's beloved? Write your name followed by "the beloved" and let this identity sink into your soul. You are not loved because of what you do; you are loved because of whose you are. What keeps you from fully accepting your identity as God's beloved?
Discussion Questions:
-In what ways do you find yourself living 'for' God's love rather than 'from' God's love, and what would it look like to shift that perspective?
-How does proximity to Jesus through religious activity differ from intimacy with Jesus, and where do you see this distinction in your own spiritual life?
-What does it reveal about Jesus that he chose to spend his final moments before the cross teaching his disciples about love rather than strategy or doctrine?
-In what ways do you project your earthly relationships, especially with parents or authority figures, onto your understanding of God's love for you?
This sermon challenges believers to examine whether they are living with a complacent faith or a compelling faith. Using the metaphor of stagnant ponds versus flowing rivers, the message calls Christians to be conduits of the Holy Spirit rather than spiritually stagnant. The sermon emphasizes that compelling faith requires being compelled by the Spirit, even when it leads to uncertainty and hardship. Drawing from Acts 19-20 and Paul's ministry in Ephesus, the message illustrates how authentic Christianity disrupts darkness and idolatry in culture. The central call is for believers to embrace "disruptive discipleship" - a lifelong surrender to Jesus that interrupts ordinary living, dismantles comfort and compromise, and moves Christians from consumption to mission. The sermon concludes with the challenge that every believer must choose: remain complacent and complicit, or become compelling through Spirit-led obedience.
Read John 7:37-39; Ezekiel 47:1-12
Jesus promises that believers will have rivers of living water flowing from within them. Notice the contrast between stagnant ponds and rushing rivers. A pond collects but doesn't release—it becomes stagnant, breeding decay. A river constantly receives and gives, bringing life wherever it flows.
The Holy Spirit desires to flow through you like a river, bringing refreshment to dry places. But this requires both intake and outflow. Are you receiving from God daily through prayer and Scripture? Are you releasing His love through service and witness? Stagnation happens when we consume without contributing, when we gather but never give. Ask yourself today: Am I a stagnant pond or a rushing river? The Spirit wants to move through you, but He needs your surrender. Where has spiritual stagnation crept into your life? What would it look like to allow God's Spirit to flow freely through you today?
Discussion Questions:
-Paul says he is 'compelled by the Spirit' without knowing what will happen to him, only that hardships await. What would it look like for you to follow the Holy Spirit's leading even when the outcome is uncertain or difficult?
-The sermon contrasts a stagnant pond with a rushing river as metaphors for spiritual life. Which image better represents your current spiritual state, and what specific steps could move you toward becoming 'living water'?
-The sermon lists several types of Christians including the consumer Christian, the distracted Christian, and the knowledge-heavy but action-light Christian. Which of these categories do you most identify with, and what would it take to move beyond it?
-Mike mentions that many churches become stagnant by focusing only on what's wrong with the world rather than where God is moving. How can we maintain awareness of darkness while keeping our primary focus on where the Spirit is at work?
This sermon addresses how Christians should engage with culture in a world that increasingly feels distant from kingdom values. Jake challenges two common but fear-driven responses: isolation (withdrawing from the world) and assimilation (blending in completely). Instead, he calls the church to fearless engagement, modeled after Jesus who was "full of grace and truth." The core message emphasizes that Christians are called to be present in the world without compromise—maintaining both holiness and proximity to those who need Christ. The sermon stresses that fear distorts how we see people, turning them into threats rather than image-bearers of God. True engagement requires "courageous fidelity"—unwavering loyalty to Christ while actively loving and serving in our communities. The early church transformed the world not through power or control, but through presence, demonstrating a better way of life that drew people to Jesus. Christians are called to be salt and light, creating communities that offer a preview of God's kingdom.
Read Philippians 3:17-21
We live in a world that constantly demands our allegiance—to political parties, cultural movements, social acceptance. Yet Paul reminds us that "our citizenship is in heaven." This isn't an excuse to disengage, but rather the foundation for fearless engagement. When your identity is secure in Christ, you don't need culture's applause or approval. You can step into difficult conversations, sit at uncomfortable tables, and love people who think differently—because your worth isn't at stake. Today, ask yourself: Am I more shaped by the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of this world? Let your heavenly citizenship free you to love boldly without compromise.
Discussion Questions:
-How does fear manifest in your own life when it comes to engaging with people who think differently than you, and do you tend more toward isolation or assimilation?
-Jesus was described as 'full of grace and truth' - in what areas of your life do you struggle to hold both grace and truth in tension, and why?
-Do you find it easier to critique the darkness in culture or to create communities filled with light, and what does that reveal about your heart?
-Jeremiah 29:7 calls exiles to seek the peace and prosperity of Babylon. What would it mean for you to genuinely pray for and work toward the flourishing of your city, even when you disagree with its values?
This Pentecost Sunday message challenges believers to move beyond merely having faith to becoming compelling witnesses through the power of the Holy Spirit. The sermon contrasts the "X factor" (worldly influence) with the "J factor" (Jesus factor), emphasizing that true spiritual power comes not from personal charisma but from Christ living through us. The message explores how modern-day martyrdom isn't primarily about physical death but about daily dying to self so Christ can increase. Through the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence, believers can display compelling character, posture, and perseverance through suffering that draws others to Jesus. The sermon emphasizes that transformation requires crucifying the flesh by making daily agreements with the Spirit rather than with our selfish desires, and that our greatest obstacle to spiritual power is often ourselves.
Read John 3:22-30; Galatians 2:20
John the Baptist understood a profound truth: "He must become greater; I must become less." This posture defines the modern-day martyr. We use "martyr" not primarily meaning physical death, but daily dying to self. Your calling never changes—it's for Jesus to increase while you decrease. Assignments may shift, but this calling remains constant. The flesh resists this violently because it demands comfort, recognition, and self-preservation. Yet true freedom and the compelling life come only through crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires. You become most attractive to a watching world not when you're promoting yourself, but when Christ's character shines through your emptied vessel. This isn't self-hatred; it's proper positioning—making room for His glory. What area of my life am I still holding onto that needs to decrease so Jesus can increase?
Discussion Questions:
-How does the concept of the 'J factor' challenge our cultural understanding of what makes someone compelling or influential, and in what ways might you be prioritizing the 'X factor' over the 'J factor' in your own life?
-In what areas of your life are you currently 'trauma bonding' with your flesh rather than crucifying it, and what specific agreements with the Holy Spirit do you need to make instead?
-How does understanding that the Holy Spirit's full presence dwells in you right now change the way you approach daily struggles, temptations, or feelings of inadequacy?
-The sermon distinguishes between 'calling' (Jesus increasing, you decreasing) and 'assignments' (specific tasks that may change). How does this distinction help clarify what God is asking of you in this season?
This sermon challenges believers to examine whether they are living from false identities rooted in accomplishments, roles, possessions, and external affirmation, or from their true identity in Christ. Jen emphasizes that while culture celebrates temporal achievements and attributes, God calls us to be "new creations" whose primary identity is rooted in being chosen, beloved children of God. The message explores the difference between passively holding our identity versus actively receiving it—comparing it to a child learning to catch versus a professional receiver who grasps, protects, and runs with the ball. Through the character study of Simon Peter, the sermon illustrates how Jesus speaks identity over us and invites us into transformation, even when we struggle to live into that identity fully. The key theological insight is that our identity in Christ is not something we earn or construct, but something we receive as a gift, and we must actively open, believe, and live from that truth daily.
Read Ephesians 2:8-10
Salvation is a gift, not a reward. Yet how often do we carry God's gift around unopened, never truly receiving what He offers? Like a beautifully wrapped present left in the bag with tissue intact, we acknowledge God's grace but fail to unwrap and live from it. Receiving requires action—opening your hands, drawing the gift close, protecting it, and running with it. Today, consider what gifts God has given you that remain unopened: freedom from shame, righteousness, belonging. Don't just hold these truths at arm's length. Draw them into your heart. Let them transform how you see yourself. God's gift isn't meant to be admired from a distance but lived from daily.
Discussion Questions:
-In what ways do you find yourself seeking affirmation from social media, accomplishments, or relationships rather than from your identity in Christ?
-What does it mean to actively receive your identity in Christ rather than passively holding it, and how can you practice this in your daily life?
-When you think about God delighting in you, what internal barriers or beliefs make it difficult to accept this truth?
-Which of the seven false identities (regrets, career, accomplishments, connections, roles, attractions, possessions, appearance) do you most struggle with elevating above your God-given identity?
This sermon addresses the fundamental question of why believers continue to struggle with sin despite knowing Christ's promise of freedom. Mike explains that true freedom comes not from managing sinful behavior or religious performance, but from deeply abiding in the Holy Spirit. Using the metaphor of archery, sin is defined as "missing the mark" of God's wholeness and abundant life. The message emphasizes that the Christian life is not about sin management but about being Spirit-filled, which naturally produces the fruit of a flourishing life.
Read John 10:10 & Romans 7:15-25
Jesus didn't come merely to manage your sin—He came to offer you abundant life. The struggle Paul describes in Romans 7 resonates with us all: "The things I wish I do, I don't do. The things I wish I didn't do, I do." But notice Paul's focus isn't just on behavior; it's on the battle within our being. Before there's a battle with your behavior, there's always a battle with your being. Sin isn't primarily about breaking rules—it's about missing the mark of God's wholeness for you. Today, recognize that God's commands aren't restrictions to crush your joy, but boundaries to protect your flourishing. His "bullseye" for your life is complete wholeness in Christ. What areas of your life reveal you've been managing symptoms rather than addressing the core issue of your being?
Discussion Questions:
-How does understanding sin as 'missing the mark' of God's wholeness rather than just breaking rules change your perspective on your struggles and God's intentions for your life?
-What false attachments (control, performance, approval, pleasure, success) have you been depending on for security instead of attaching to God as your primary source of life and wholeness?
-Paul warns the Galatians about starting in the Spirit but trying to finish in the flesh. Where in your spiritual journey have you drifted from depending on God's grace to depending on your own efforts?
-How does knowing that you received the Holy Spirit the moment you believed, not when you perfected yourself, change your approach to spiritual growth and overcoming struggles?
This sermon challenges believers to move beyond consumer Christianity and competing loyalties to live a truly compelling faith centered on Christ. The message explores how modern culture has shifted from enchantment with God to entertainment and consumerism, even within the church. Mike emphasizes that what makes faith compelling isn't what it gives us, but what it costs us—the sacrifice and surrender required to follow Jesus. He calls the congregation to consecration, setting apart every area of life for God's purposes rather than personal preferences. The sermon culminates in a call to move from autonomy to authority under Christ, from opinions to truth, and from comfort to calling, demonstrating that a life fully surrendered to Jesus becomes irresistibly compelling to a watching world.
Read: 1 Peter 3:15-16
Peter's call to "always be prepared to give an answer" isn't primarily about winning intellectual debates. It's about living so differently that people become curious about the hope within you. What makes faith compelling isn't what it gives us, but what it costs us. When you walk through job loss with unexplainable peace, when you forgive the unforgivable, when you serve without recognition—people notice. They lean in. They ask questions. Your life becomes the apologetic. Today, consider: When was the last time someone asked about your hope? Are you living in such a way that your faith provokes holy curiosity? A compelling faith flows from a consecrated life—one fully surrendered to Christ's authority rather than your autonomy.
What area of your life needs to shift from consumption to consecration today?
Discussion Questions:
-How does the distinction between tasting God to be drawn into His presence versus consuming God to pull His presence into your preferences challenge your current approach to faith?
-What specific idols or competing priorities have knocked Jesus from being number one in your life, and what would it look like to consecrate those areas to Him?
-How has the shift from a God-centered faith to a me-centered faith affected your ability to live sacrificially, and what cost is Jesus calling you to embrace for the sake of a compelling witness?
-What does it mean practically for you to come under Christ's authority rather than your autonomy in the daily decisions you face at work, home, or in relationships?
This sermon addresses the pervasive issue of modern idolatry, challenging the congregation to recognize how everyday things—relationships, success, security, reputation—can subtly replace God on the throne of our hearts. Using the story of the golden calf and Jesus's teaching about the vine and branches, the message emphasizes that we were created as "living idols" meant to reflect God's image to the world. The sermon calls believers to move beyond merely placating God's voice through superficial religious activities and instead embrace a full heart renovation through abiding in Christ. This abiding—intentionally seeking and acknowledging God's presence in every moment—is presented as the pathway to living a teleos (complete, whole, mature) life. The message concludes with practical ways to abide and an invitation to allow God to prune the idols from our lives, even though the process may be uncomfortable.
Read John 15:1-8
Jesus uses the powerful image of a vine and branches to teach us about abiding. The word "remain" appears repeatedly—it's not passive but intentional. A branch doesn't produce fruit through effort; it produces fruit by staying connected to the vine. Our spiritual vitality doesn't come from trying harder but from staying closer. When we disconnect, we wither. When we remain rooted in Christ, His life flows through us naturally. Abiding means intentionally seeking God's presence in every moment and allowing that presence to transform us from the inside out. Today, consider: Are you trying to produce spiritual fruit on your own strength, or are you drawing nutrients from the Vine? Stay connected. Remain. Abide.
Discussion Questions:
-In what ways do modern idols differ from ancient golden calves, and why might they be even more dangerous today because they are less obvious?
-Emma describes abiding as intentionally seeking and acknowledging God's presence in every moment. What specific practices could help you move from placating God's voice to truly abiding in Him?
-In John 15, Jesus says we can do nothing without remaining in Him. How does this challenge our culture's emphasis on self-sufficiency and personal achievement?
-How can practicing Sabbath as intentional rest in God's presence rather than just a day off transform your relationship with Him and your understanding of His control?
This sermon explores the true meaning of Jesus's command to "be perfect" in Matthew 5:48, revealing that the Greek word "teleos" means to be whole, complete, and mature rather than flawlessly perfect. The message challenges both the rebellious spirit that seeks freedom without boundaries and the religious spirit that focuses on external rule-following without heart transformation. Using the Sermon on the Mount as a foundation, this message emphasizes that God desires deep heart transformation that leads to flourishing life, not mere behavioral compliance. Josh illustrates how both the sexual revolution's pursuit of freedom and the purity culture's restrictive rules failed because they missed God's compelling design for human flourishing. True Christian maturity means becoming the kind of person who doesn't just avoid sin but no longer desires it, moving from blurry understanding to clear vision of what sin truly costs us.
Read Genesis 3:1-7 & James 1:13-15
The serpent's lie in the Garden was that God was holding out on humanity, that His boundaries were restrictive rather than protective. This rebellious spirit still whispers today, masquerading as freedom while leading to bondage. Sin promises fulfillment but delivers brokenness. As we mature in Christ, we begin to see temptation for what it truly is—not just a momentary pleasure, but a path that leads away from the flourishing life God designed. In heaven, we will see sin with perfect clarity and have no desire for it. Until then, we grow through God's Word, authentic community, and the Holy Spirit's work in us. What temptation do you need to see more clearly today? Ask God to reveal the true cost of sin and the beauty of His ways.
Discussion Questions:
-What does it mean to you that Jesus calls us to be 'teleos' (whole, complete, mature) rather than simply 'perfect' in the sense of flawless rule-following?
-The sermon suggests that in heaven we will be able to see sin clearly for what it truly is and the destruction it causes. How might cultivating that kind of clarity through God's Word and discipleship change the way you respond to temptation today?
-How have you experienced the tension between the rebellious spirit (seeking freedom without boundaries) and the religious spirit (following rules without heart transformation) in your own spiritual journey?
-What would it look like for you to move from simply attending or participating in church to truly investing yourself as an owner in your local church community?
Mike uncovers a hidden battle shaping everyday life, where what’s visible only tells part of the story. He walks through how beliefs are formed over time, often through small, unnoticed agreements that feel harmless at first. These quiet shifts begin to shape identity, truth, and direction in ways that aren’t always obvious. Beneath it all sits a steady tension between competing promises, each pulling for trust. In the end, the path forward is shaped by what you choose to believe—and live from.
Discussion Questions
-
Can you identify a belief you’ve held about yourself, God, or truth that may have formed gradually over time? Where do you think that belief first took root?
-
Think about a time when something felt right or convincing, but later proved to be misaligned. What made it so persuasive in the moment?
-
In what areas of your life do you feel tension right now—and how might that tension be revealing deeper influences shaping your thinking or direction?
This Palm Sunday sermon concludes the "House of Discipleship" series by exploring the final rhythm of Jesus - stepping into the misery and margins. Mike emphasizes that being a disciple means living in rhythm with Jesus' life, which involved continually descending from heaven to earth, from earth to the margins, and ultimately to the cross. The sermon features powerful testimonies from church members who have served both globally (Nepal, Rwanda, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico) and locally (Portland's homeless ministry, Heart of the City, McLaren Correctional Facility). These testimonies illustrate that following Jesus requires stepping out of comfort zones and into broken places where harvest opportunities exist. The message challenges the congregation to move beyond curiosity or conflict about faith into becoming contagious and courageous disciples who multiply Christ's life in others through sacrificial service.
Discussion Questions:
-Doug shared that God told him to stop asking and just be present. How often do we miss what God is doing because we're too focused on our own agenda or questions?
-What does it mean to live a scandalized life rather than a sanitized life, and how might this change the way we engage with people who are different from us?
-Jesus looked at the crowds and saw a harvest ready to be gathered, but most people miss it because they won't step in. What harvest opportunities might you be missing in your own neighborhood, workplace, or community?
This sermon redefines worship as far more than singing songs to God—it is a complete surrender of our lives to Him. Using the story of Abraham and Isaac as the foundation, Mike challenges the congregation to understand that true worship involves trusting God fully with everything we value most: our time, talents, treasures, relationships, and even our pain. The message emphasizes that worship moves us from comfort to cost, from distraction to devotion, and from resenting to rejoicing. Just as Abraham was willing to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac, and just as Jesus surrendered everything on the cross, believers are called to offer their entire lives as living sacrifices. The sermon concludes with the powerful reminder that our greatest freedom comes when we release our grip on what we're holding onto and surrender it all to God in worship.
Discussion Questions:
-Job worshiped God in his deepest grief and loss without pretending or faking his emotions. How can you practice authentic worship that includes lament and tears rather than performance?
-If your whole week could be a worship service through how you live rather than just what you sing, what would need to change in your daily rhythms and choices?
-The Great Commission was given in the context of worship and surrender. How does this connection between worship and mission challenge or reshape your understanding of what it means to make disciples?
-How might viewing your trials and suffering as opportunities for worship transform the way you respond to difficult seasons in your life?
This sermon introduces the 11th rhythm of discipleship at Grace Chapel - the rhythm of multiplying. Mike emphasizes that Jesus' mission wasn't simply to gather comfortable Christians, but to create a movement of disciples who reproduce themselves. Using the metaphor of dominoes, the message illustrates how one small, surrendered life can start a ripple effect that changes the world. The sermon challenges believers to move beyond addition (inviting people to church) to multiplication (intentionally discipling others who will disciple others). Jesus' strategy was simple: invite, invest, and inspire. Mike emphasizes that disciples are called to be, sent to go, and made to multiply - and that there is a unique, top-shelf joy reserved for those who engage in the messy, sacrificial work of pouring into others.
Discussion Questions:
-Jesus chose ordinary, unqualified people like fishermen and tax collectors as His disciples. How does this challenge our modern tendency to believe we need credentials or perfection before we can serve God?
-The domino illustration shows how one small surrendered life can create exponential kingdom impact. What fears or excuses prevent you from seeing yourself as that first domino?
-The sermon contrasts addition (inviting people to church) with multiplication (discipling people who disciple others). Why do you think the church has focused more on addition, and what would need to change to shift toward multiplication?
-If you examined your bank statements, calendar, and relationships as indicators of your true mission, what would they reveal about what you actually value versus what you say you value?
Mike paints a startling picture: a soul can suffer hypoxia. Foggy thinking, fatigue, poor decisions, breathless living — all signs that something vital is missing. He opens up the living, God-breathed word as oxygen for the heart, the mind, and the weary places we try to carry on our own. From the buffet line of selective belief to the deep inhale of truth, Mike calls us to let scripture fill us, shape us, and move through us with life.
Discussion Questions:
-In what ways do you approach the Bible like a buffet, selectively choosing verses that affirm your values rather than allowing Scripture to transform and challenge your values?
-When you face spiritual warfare or temptation, do you have specific rhema words from Scripture ready like Jesus did in the wilderness, or do you need to spend more time in the logos to build that foundation?
-How does the concept of inhaling God's Word and exhaling it to others challenge you to move beyond personal consumption of Scripture to active sharing and living it out?
-What is the difference between knowing about God through Scripture and actually encountering God through His Word, and which one best describes your current relationship with the Bible?
It just sneaks in one small drift at a time, until you look up and realise you’ve lost the point. Josh walks through how that happened in Somalia and with the YMCA, then brings it right into real life: busy weeks, packed calendars, family routines that slowly get pulled off course. Emma anchors it in Scripture, and Ben and Janet keep it practical with simple rhythms that actually fit real life. Stay close. Stay steady.
Discussion Questions:
-How have you experienced mission creep in your own spiritual life or family, where good activities gradually replaced your core purpose of knowing and following Jesus?
-How does recognizing that there is a spiritual enemy actively working against your mission change the urgency with which you pray, read Scripture, and engage in community?
-How can you share what God is teaching you through Scripture in a way that is authentic and brief rather than lecturing, allowing others to see the Bible impacting your real life?
-How does the truth that spiritual transformation is ultimately God's work rather than yours both relieve pressure and increase your dependence on Him in discipleship relationships?
In this powerful message, Pastor Mike continues our House of Discipleship series by diving into one of the ten "Rhythms of Jesus": Family on Mission. This week, we focus specifically on what it means to be a Marriage on Mission.
Whether you are happily married, struggling, divorced, or single, this message is for you. Marriage isn't just a social contract or a pursuit of personal happiness — it’s a divine "living parable" designed to reflect the character of God and the message of the Gospel to the world.
Discussion Questions:
-
How does viewing marriage as a living parable that reflects God's character change the way you approach conflict and daily decisions in your relationship?
-
The sermon states that marriage is about holiness rather than happiness. How does this challenge cultural expectations, and what would it look like to prioritize holiness in your relationship?
-
How does the story of Hosea and Gomer challenge your understanding of forgiveness and reconciliation, especially when betrayal or hurt seems unforgivable?
-
For singles, how can you pursue Christlikeness now rather than waiting for marriage to begin your spiritual journey, and what destination are you setting for your life?
-
Which of the five bands of intimacy (social, intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual) is weakest in your relationship, and what practical step can you take this week to strengthen it?
From childhood loyalties in a stadium to the quiet ache of rejection, we are wired to ask: Where do I fit? Jake traces that longing through neuroscience, ancient confession, and the waters of baptism, revealing a God who steps into line with humanity. Fully human. Standing among sinners. Sharing the table. Bearing death itself. In Christ, belonging becomes union. Water, table, body, way. “I’m with them,” he says. The question is, are you with him?
Discussion Questions:
-In what ways have you chosen belonging over truth in your life, and how can identifying with Christ help you navigate that tension?
-Why do you think Western Christianity has emphasized individualistic faith over communal belonging, and what are the consequences of that emphasis?
-How does viewing baptism as identification rather than just a symbol change your perspective on this practice and its importance?
-What barriers prevent you from fully committing to the body of Christ with the same loyalty you show your biological family?
Jen talks about what it means to stop pretending we’ve got it all figured out and start letting God into the mess; one thought, one moment, one honest breath at a time. Stay open, listen, and let small changes make space for real peace.
Discussion Questions:
-In what areas of your life do you find it hardest to acknowledge that you don't have it all figured out, and what might humble alignment with God look like in those spaces?
-Which item from Paul's list in Colossians 3 (anger, greed, malice, etc.) did the Holy Spirit highlight for you, and what small tweak rather than total overhaul might God be inviting you into?
-Where in your life are you rehearsing narratives of hurt or frustration instead of laying those burdens at Jesus' feet, and what would it look like to shift that pattern?
-How does understanding that forgiveness is primarily about your relationship with God rather than letting someone off the hook change your willingness to forgive?
Mike takes aim at the lie that only the impressive make an impact, and shows how God moves through surrendered hands, not perfect résumés. From a kid with a lunch to a widow with two coins, Scripture is full of ordinary people doing extraordinary things because they said yes. If you think you don’t have much to offer, you’re exactly the kind of person God loves to use.
Discussion Questions:
-The religious leaders were astonished that 'unschooled, ordinary men' could do extraordinary things because they had been with Jesus. How does this challenge our assumptions about who God uses and why?
-Jesus said we cannot serve both God and money. In what ways might money or financial security have become an idol or source of fear, anxiety, or control in your life?
-The sermon emphasized that God wants 100% of us, not just 10%. What areas of your life are you holding back from full surrender to Jesus, and what would it look like to offer Him everything?
-The phrase 'what we don't place on the altar will eventually become an altar' suggests that anything not surrendered to God can become an idol. What might this look like practically in your finances, relationships, or time?
Mike unpacks what it really means to walk in step with the Holy Spirit, not just admire Him from a distance. From ball boys handing out Scripture to rhythms that reshape how we live, this is a call to quiet the noise, open up, and let the Spirit lead. It’s not about perfection. It’s about presence and posture.
Discussion Questions:
-In what ways might you be trying to follow Jesus through your own strength rather than relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, and how can you recognize the difference?
-What areas of your life feel like a 'wilderness' right now, and could the Holy Spirit actually be leading you through this barren season for a purpose?
-In what ways have you tried to measure spiritual maturity through behavior modification rather than the fruit of the Spirit, and how might this approach be limiting God's work in your life?
-What 'noise' or distractions in your life are preventing you from hearing God's voice clearly, and what would it look like to create more space for the Holy Spirit to speak?
In this week's message Mike points to a truth many of us feel but rarely name: we stay plugged in, busy, and committed but often to the wrong things. At the center of Jesus' call is a rhythm most would avoid: dying to self. Not as an idea, but as a daily posture. What feels like loss becomes the soil where something eternal takes root. Devotion begins where self-preservation ends.
Discussion Questions:
-In what areas of your life have you tried to negotiate with Jesus rather than fully surrendering, and what might it look like to stop negotiating and start dying to those things?
-How might viewing difficult people in your life as accomplices to the cross rather than enemies change the way you respond to conflict and friction in relationships?
-If dying to self means dethroning your preferences and comforts, what is one preference or comfort God might be asking you to place on the altar right now?
-Peter said to Jesus, 'Where else can I go? You have the words of life.' What would it take for you to have that same conviction when Jesus asks you to do something uncomfortable or confusing?
That invitation is still open, but it reorders everything. Mike walks through a vision of discipleship rooted in devotion to a person, not a program. It’s about living close enough to Jesus to notice how he moves, how he loves, how he leads. When formation replaces information, and practice replaces theory, ordinary lives begin to multiply into something eternal.
Discussion Questions:
-When you think about the early disciples who wanted to be covered in the 'dust of their rabbi,' how closely are you following Jesus in your daily rhythms and decisions?
-What would 'messy obedience' look like for you this week as you step out in faith to practice one of the formational rhythms Jesus modeled?
-How does the concept of 'come follow me' versus 'come balance me' challenge your current approach to discipleship and devotion to Christ?
-Why do you think Western Christianity has emphasized information over formation, and how can you personally shift toward practicing what you learn rather than just hearing it?
Mike unpacks the deeper meaning of "resolution" as more than goal-setting. It's about untangling the soul until one clear allegiance remains. At the heart of this message is a call to holy narrowing, where Jesus is not just added to life but becomes the center of it. Not divided. Devoted.
Discussion Questions:
-In what ways have you found yourself living a 'double-minded' life, divided between devotion to Jesus and devotion to other things competing for your allegiance?
-What is the difference between being a 'believer' who takes notes and a 'disciple' who takes steps, and which one best describes your current relationship with Jesus?
-How does the concept of 'holy narrowing'—focusing more intentionally on fewer things centered on Jesus—challenge the cultural value of balance and multitasking?
-Which of the four chairs (curious/conflicted, convinced/cautious, committed/conformed, or courageous/contagious) best represents where you are in your discipleship journey, and what would help you move forward?
This powerful message centers on 1 Peter 3:15, challenging us to examine a fundamental question: How's our Jesus? Where does He rank in our lives? The sermon unpacks Peter's instruction to revere Christ as Lord in our hearts and always be prepared to give an answer for the hope we have—with gentleness and respect. We're reminded that hope isn't just wishful thinking; it's a confident assurance rooted in Christ that becomes visible especially during seasons of suffering. The message illustrates how our faith becomes most compelling when people watch us navigate difficulties with unexplainable peace. Through vivid stories from baseball ministry—including a divine appointment where God prepared the way for a gospel presentation to hostile listeners, and a beautiful baptism where one player baptized another—we see what happens when Christ truly becomes Lord. The relay race metaphor captures discipleship perfectly: we're called to carry both a Bible and a baton, running our race while passing faith to the next generation. This isn't about perfection but progress, taking one giant step closer to making Jesus truly number one, not just 'also receiving votes' in our priority rankings.
Questions:
-If you were to honestly rank where Jesus falls in your life's priorities right now, what number would He be, and what specific steps could move Him closer to number one?
-What does it mean practically for Christ to be 'Lord of your heart' rather than just occupying space in your mind, and how does that distinction affect your daily decisions?
-When was the last time someone asked you about the hope you have, and were you prepared to give an answer that pointed them to Jesus rather than to your own strength?
-In what areas of your life are you still trying to earn God's approval through performance rather than resting in the free gift of salvation He's already given you?
You’re doing the right things. Church, small group, Bible reading. But something still feels off.
It’s possible to be around Jesus without actually being close to Him.
In Mark 2, a man is carried to Jesus but ends up stuck on the roof. So near, yet still not face to face. That’s where many of us find ourselves. Surrounded by faith activity but still longing for real connection.
Jesus isn’t asking for perfection. He’s inviting you to come closer.
Don’t settle for almost. There’s more.
-In what ways have you mistaken activity for intimacy with Jesus, and how can you identify when you're experiencing that 'low-grade ache' in your faith?
-Which of the eight false forms of discipleship (consumer, individualistic, performance, intellectual, institutional, self-powered, comfort-driven, or selective) resonates most with your current spiritual journey, and why?
-In what ways have you settled for 'roof living' rather than being lowered directly into the presence of Jesus, and what would it take to change that?
There’s a kind of transformation that won’t come through pressure, punishment or performance. It happens when we walk with one another and let the Spirit shape us, not shame us. Mike invites us into a way of dealing with sin that starts at the root: identity. When we stop managing behaviour and start discerning what’s broken beneath, we begin the long, beautiful journey toward freedom. Together, step by step.
We all feel the tug-of-war between who we want to be and what keeps pulling us off course. Mike names it plainly: the cycle of sin, shame, and striving that leaves us worn out and wondering if real change is even possible. But what if freedom isn't about fixing ourselves, but learning how to walk with the Spirit? This isn’t about sin management. It's about coming home to love that disarms fear and reshapes desire, from the inside out.
Imagine your life like a sailboat. You have two options: keep the sails down and row endlessly in your own strength, or raise the sail of surrender and let the wind of the Spirit move you forward.
We all do it. We hide behind the veils of effort, performance, or spiritual perfectionism. We put on a brave face, act like we’ve got it together, and manage our image like it’s part of our faith. But deep down, many of us are exhausted.
Spiritually speaking, it’s like we’re in a boat, rowing hard in our own strength to get where only God can take us. And it’s not working.
But what if the very thing you’ve been using, your striving, your perfectionism, your need to look strong, could become the way the Spirit moves you forward?
That’s the invitation. Turn the veil into a sail.
We’ve become experts at image, but strangers to intimacy.
And so, the Spirit comes, not to decorate our dysfunction, but to shatter the mirror of self, and replace it with His own reflection.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn the world upside down? Mike shares how the early church wasn't just a holy huddle, but a holy force that transformed their culture through bold faith and genuine community. Drawing from Acts 17, he reveals how authentic Christian fellowship isn't an optional add-on but the very anatomy of Christ's body—where we grow, encourage, and empower each other to share Jesus wherever we go. From classrooms to living rooms, this message inspires us to move beyond spectating to active participation in God's movement, challenging us to invite, invest, and inspire others through shared life, learning, and mission. Ready to be part of something bigger? Watch now to discover how community becomes the catalyst for kingdom impact.
Some promises are like mirages, glimmering with hope, only to leave you empty. But when Jesus speaks, the promises hold. Mike unfolds the difference between living for God's favor and living from God's favor. When God's approval rests on you, striving gives way to rest. In a world flooded with noise, fear, and false hope, this message dares you to anchor your life in what doesn’t shake: God’s favor, God’s presence, God’s promises.
On Sunday, Pastor Mike shared how he was asking a simple question: “Lord, how do I respond as a pastor to everything happening right now?” What followed was a clear word from the Lord that led him to Exodus 17—a moment where God’s people were under pressure, under attack, and spiritually dry. In that passage, Moses lifted his hands toward heaven as the battle raged, and victory came when hands were lifted—not in striving, but in surrender. From that passage, Mike heard God say, “The time for striking rocks is over. The time for touching thrones has begun.”
This message is an invitation to shift our posture. To stop reacting and start abiding. To respond not with outrage, but with trust. And to step into a rhythm of prayer that brings renewal, unity, and life. Below is a prayer guide you can use as you respond this week:
Prayer Guide:
- Praise: Honoring God’s Faithfulness and Outpouring of His Spirit
Heavenly Father, we lift our hands to You in awe and gratitude. You are faithful, and Your Spirit continues to move in our lives and in our generation. We praise You for Your presence, Your provision, and Your power that sustains us.
Pray for:
• Thank God for His faithfulness in every season, acknowledging that nothing in heaven or earth can thwart His plans.
• Praise God for the outpouring of His Spirit, awakening hearts to new hunger and deeper intimacy with Him.
• Declare God’s victory over every Amalek attack, trusting His authority to protect, restore, and advance His Kingdom.
• Celebrate the ways God has revealed Himself in past battles, remembering His power and mercy.
• Invite God’s presence to fill every room, heart, and community, allowing His life to flow freely.
- Confession: Surrendering Striving, Distrust, and Conflict
Lord, we confess the times we have not abided in You, striving in our own strength, doubting Your provision, and wrestling with anger or contention toward others. We recognize where we have partnered with thoughts that oppose Your will and disrupt Your peace.
Pray for:
• Confess personal striving instead of resting in God’s timing and authority.
• Confess distrust, doubt, or anxiety that limits our faith and hinders intimacy with You.
• Ask for forgiveness for anger, quarreling, or holding bitterness toward others.
• Renounce any agreements with pride, ego, or grumbling.
• Pray for healing, humility, and restored alignment with God, so we walk fully in His presence and purpose.
- Intercession: Lifted Hands for Each Other and Our Broken World
Father, we lift our hands in intercession, covering one another’s vulnerabilities, lifting the burdens of our families, communities, and the world. We declare Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Pray for:
• Pray for those around you, asking God to meet their deepest needs and protect their hearts.
• Pray for comfort and hope in our relationships, families, communities, and country.
• Ask God to pour out His presence in communities, awakening hunger for His presence and truth.
• Pray for the defeat of the Amalek spirit and every force that seeks to steal joy, kill hope, or destroy destiny.
• Declare healing, restoration, and unity, trusting God’s authority and power to transform brokenness into new life.
What if the foundation we’ve built our faith on isn’t the one Jesus had in mind? Mike traces the ache of a generation worn down by performance, shame, and spiritual striving—and reveals a deeper invitation. Jesus didn’t just promise a better life, but his life. The kind that flows from the inside out. Not hollow, not heavy—just real, renewing, and alive. This is where discipleship begins: not with doing more, but being made new.
When life presses hard and fast, we tend to reach for control, distraction, or performance. But what if the pressure is an invitation—not a punishment? Mike explores the deep, often-overlooked heartbeat of the whole Bible: abiding. Not a task list or a time slot, but a rooted way of being that produces lasting fruit—sometimes through crushing. Because in Jesus, even the pressure can pour out new wine.
We chase clarity, progress, and fruit—but what if the thing we’ve been reaching for was already within reach? Mike spent the summer drinking deeply from one passage, one truth: apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. Abiding slows the soul. It roots us in presence. In stillness. And from that place, something begins to grow—not from effort, but from union.
There’s something unique about being in a room with people who understand what you're going through—because they’ve lived it too.
On Sunday Andy shared his story about when his life was turned upside down in 2016 when his spouse asked for a divorce. He did what many of us might do—tried to fix it, control it, hold it together. When it became clear that the relationship couldn’t be salvaged, his whole life shattered. Career, identity, routines, even how often he could see his kids—it all shifted. He was left staring at what he called “broken glass.”
And at first, he resisted help. Even after finding a divorce support group at a nearby church, he said no. But then a friend—who was also navigating a divorce—invited him to join. Reluctantly, he said yes.
And that “yes” changed everything.
“It was the most impactful thing I’ve ever done,” he shared. “Counseling is great, but there’s nothing like sitting in a circle with people who understand your pain, who will cry with you, laugh with you, journey with you. Nothing replaces it.”
Today, he leads others through the same care group that helped him heal.
Care isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it’s just showing up.
It’s delivering a meal to someone recovering from surgery. Giving a ride to a doctor's appointment when someone’s in a cast. Sitting silently next to someone in grief. It’s not about having all the answers—it’s about being present.
That’s the heart behind the Ministry of Presence, a training offered to equip people to simply show up with God’s heart. No clever words needed. Just presence. Just love.
Care looks like this.
So, what’s your next step?
You may be in a season where you need to receive. Or you may be ready to give. Maybe both. But no matter where you are, you’re not meant to walk alone.
And remember this: nothing you bring to the altar is wasted. Not your grief. Not your story. Not your healing. Not your gifts.
When you bring it to God, it becomes worship. And it becomes a doorway to life for someone else.
Ready to take a step toward healing or connection? Explore the full list of available Care Groups by clicking the button below.
A pause where the story isn’t over. James ends his letter in that holy space, urging patience that endures, prayer that breathes life, and love that chases the wanderer. In the space between heartbreak and healing, frustration and fulfillment, he shows us what it means to live the next line in God’s unfinished sentence.
What does a wrong turn on a hiking trail have to do with your spiritual life and your bank account? In this message, Skyler unpacks James 4 and 5 with a powerful blend of personal story, biblical truth, and real-life challenge. From planning without God to hoarding what was meant to be given, this talk confronts the subtle ways we drift from dependence on God. It’s about getting honest, living submitted, and stewarding what He’s entrusted to us. If you’ve ever tried to control the path or hold on to what God asked you to release this one’s for you.
Wisdom isn’t about what you know—it’s how you live. Jen traces the thread from envy to chaos, from selfish ambition to rupture, and asks where our choices are really coming from. Are we reacting to protect ourselves, or responding from a deeper place? The wisdom from above is quiet, steady, and sincere—but it won’t chase us. It waits to be chosen, again and again. Even in conflict. Even when it costs us pride.
A single spark can torch a forest—and a single word can fracture a soul. Jake traces the quiet, explosive power of language, showing how every text, every joke, every offhand comment carries the weight of our inner life. Our words don’t just communicate; they create, shape, and reveal. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture makes it clear: the tongue doesn’t just talk—it steers the entire ship. So…what story are your words telling?
Emma unpacks what James really means by a “faith that works”—not faith and works, but a kind of belief so alive it moves. Not stagnant. Not private. But the kind that flows outward—into love, sacrifice, and radical trust. Because real faith doesn’t just nod its head. It walks. It carries. It builds. It lives.
Skyler traces James’s sharp call to reject favoritism—not just in theory, but in how we treat others, especially when it's inconvenient or uncomfortable. In a world obsessed with influence, James reminds us: mercy—not status—is the true measure of faith. The question isn’t who’s worthy of our attention. It’s who needs our mercy.
Storms will come—Jesus promised that. But what if they don’t have to leave us wrecked? Jeff explores how our understanding of God and ourselves shapes whether we collapse or endure when trials hit. With clarity and tenderness, he asks: What if the deepest truths—God is good, and you are loved—are not just comforting ideas but the foundation that holds when everything else shakes?
Trials aren’t side notes in life; they’re the crucible where faith gets its edge. If our beliefs never show up in traffic, conflict, or compassion, are they really alive? With urgency and grace, Jake unpacks a faith that’s not theoretical but earthy and enduring. What if maturity isn’t about knowing more, but staying when it’s hard? Real faith doesn’t escape the fire. It’s shaped by it.
We chase clarity, crave calling, and long to belong—but what if it all starts with being seen by God, just as we are? Jen peels back the noise to reveal a quieter, steadier path: identity that doesn’t shift with our season, and calling that emerges not from spectacle, but from fruit. From playgrounds to parking lots, from small yeses to sacred conversations—this is about carrying beauty into the broken, and letting others carry us when we can't.
In his sermon, Pastor Charles discusses the transformative journey of Rwanda after the genocide, emphasizing the importance of faith and compassion in rebuilding lives, particularly for children in poverty. He highlights the work of African New Life Ministries, which serves thousands of children through education, health care, and spiritual guidance. Pastor Charles calls for a balanced understanding of the supernatural in the lives of believers, encouraging them to embrace both spiritual and practical dimensions in their Christian walk. He invites the congregation to support the ministry and children's sponsorship as a way to engage in the transformative work God is doing in Rwanda.
Mike delivered a powerful message on discovering the core beliefs that shape our identity. He explored how the voices we choose to listen to, and the beliefs we allow to define us, can either ground us in truth or pull us away from our true purpose. Pointing to the life of Jesus as a model of someone deeply connected to God, Mike challenged us to consider: What voices are shaping who you believe you are? He invited everyone to reflect honestly on what defines their identity and whether it truly aligns with who they are in Christ. By encouraging the community to speak life, blessing, and truth over one another, Mike revealed just how transformative it can be when we embrace God’s voice above all others and begin to live as the beloved sons and daughters we were created to be.
A broken net. A fractured bone. A cargo ship, a fighter, a home. In the ancient world, all these images pointed to one surprising word: catartizo. It doesn’t just mean “equip”—it means to restore what’s torn, strengthen what’s weak, supply what’s needed. Mike unpacks how true equipping always aims toward something: maturity, unity, and deep connection with Jesus. And in a culture overflowing with opinions, conviction isn’t just what you believe—it’s what holds you when everything else breaks.
You're already a disciple of something. Every scroll, every habit, every influence is shaping you—but to what end? Mike unpacks the radical invitation of Jesus: not to be more religious, but to tether your whole life to Him. It's a call that feels like surrender, but leads to a kind of freedom culture can’t offer. The more you're tethered, the more you're unleashed.
Cameron and Annie shared their personal stories of suffering and vulnerability, highlighting how God's heart is close to those in pain. They emphasized the importance of empathy, especially in a world marked by meanness, drawing on biblical examples to illustrate the transformative power of kindness and acceptance. Through a discussion of Luke 7, they encouraged attendees to embrace their own struggles and to recognize the value of the vulnerable in our communities. Ultimately, they called for a deeper understanding of God's compassionate character and challenged the audience to reflect on how to embody that empathy in their lives.
Pastor Mike emphasizes the importance of living every day as a celebration of the resurrection, not just a single holiday. He introduces a new series on discipleship, exploring the meaning of being a true disciple and the call to share the gospel actively. Highlighting the significance of the 50 days after Easter, he encourages the congregation to harness the spirit of God for growth and outreach in their communities. As the church expands, he stresses the need for everyone to participate in the mission of making disciples and forming strong, supportive connections within the community.
In her sermon, Emma emphasizes the importance of stepping into the misery and margins, inspired by Jesus' greatest commandment to love God and love others. She shares personal stories of her grandfather's impactful life and her own transformative experiences in Rwanda, which taught her about compassion and justice. Emma underscores that loving others and stepping out in service is not just a call to action but a vital part of living out one's faith, which contributes to eternal life. Ultimately, she encourages the congregation to reflect on how they can engage with their community and serve those in need, starting with humility and a readiness to embrace Jesus' teachings.
The table is a symbol of family, community, and faithful presence. It’s a symbol of our deep desire to be known and be loved. It’s a symbol that we see throughout Scripture as a place where God dwells with and provides for His people. God sets a table for us and joins us around it.
Pastor Mike emphasized the importance of living a life centered on worship, which he defined as a lifestyle encompassing all aspects of our being, not just singing. He discussed the difference between being religious and having a relationship with Jesus, highlighting that true worship comes from understanding God's extravagant love for us. By illustrating the concept of stingy versus extravagant worship, he challenged the congregation to examine how they live, serve, and express their love for God in every part of their lives. Ultimately, Pastor Mike encouraged everyone to fully embrace their identity as worshipers and to live with an open heart that reflects gratitude and dependence on God's grace.
Pastor Jen McCourt's sermon focuses on the theme of worship, emphasizing that worship is about enjoying God and giving Him glory in various aspects of life. She discusses the importance of trusting God, drawing lessons from the Israelites in the wilderness as they grappled with their faith amid challenges. Pastor encourages the congregation to examine their worship practices and consider what, or whom, they might be worshiping instead of God, highlighting the need for intentionality in maintaining a God-centered life. Ultimately, she calls for a personal reflection on worship, inviting everyone to engage with God in a way that resonates with their unique relationship with Him.
Mike discussed the significance of identifying as a Jesus follower in his sermon from the series "Rhythms of Jesus." He emphasized that being a Christian is more than just a label; it is about having a true relationship with Jesus that transforms one's life and character. Drawing from biblical texts, Mike highlighted the importance of being bold in faith and living authentically as ambassadors for Christ in all areas of life, despite societal pressures or personal fears. The message concluded with the call to embrace the identity and purpose found in Jesus, encouraging believers to reflect His love and truth in their daily lives.
Jake shared the importance of prayer and its power to transform both individual lives and communities. He recalled the Hebrides revival, initiated by two elderly women who prayed fervently for change, demonstrating that fervent prayer can invoke a powerful response from God. Jake emphasized that prayer should not be viewed as a transactional exchange but as a deep, relational conversation with God. He encouraged the congregation to adopt a rhythm of prayer that aligns their hearts with God's will, allowing them to actively participate in His kingdom work on earth.
In his sermon, Mike discusses the theme of leveraging one's life for the benefit of others, using Jesus as the ultimate example of self-sacrifice. He emphasizes that we are all invited to be part of God's movement and encourages the congregation not to miss out on what God is doing in the present. Mike also highlights the importance of surrendering our imperfections and regrets to God, who can transform us and use us for His purposes. Ultimately, he calls for a posture of consecration, urging everyone to take what they have and offer it as a sacrifice in service to God and others.
Mike shared a powerful message about the importance of community as modeled by Jesus, emphasizing that believers should cultivate deep, meaningful relationships. He illustrated this with an analogy of self-driving cars to describe how the Holy Spirit guides us in our spiritual journey and the necessity of smaller groups for authentic connection. Mike highlighted two significant pandemics of despair and loneliness facing society today and called on the church to be proactive in reaching out and nurturing community both within and outside church walls. Ultimately, he encouraged everyone to embrace their roles in fostering a family-like atmosphere through shared support, mission, and spiritual growth, ensuring that no one feels like a stranger.
Jeff spoke about the importance of community and how it is fundamentally linked to our relationship with God. He emphasized that true love and connection come from recognizing our dependence on Jesus, who meets our needs for love, joy, peace, and hope. By nurturing our relationship with Christ, we enable ourselves to build healthier relationships with others, ultimately addressing the widespread issue of loneliness in society. Jeff reminded the congregation that the call to love our neighbors is rooted in our love for God, and that genuine community arises when we allow God's presence to fill us and guide our interactions.
Mike emphasizes the importance of recognizing and engaging with the wave of God's Spirit moving among the congregation, particularly in times of struggle or desert-like seasons. He highlights how Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, demonstrating that hard seasons can lead to divine encounters and affirmations of our identity as beloved children of God. Mike calls on the congregation to release any negative spirits such as lukewarmness, control, and cynicism, and to embrace the Rhema word of God—the specific, life-giving messages that provide strength and guidance in our deserts. The sermon encourages fellowship and prayer, inviting members to support one another and to experience the healing and transformative power of God's word together.
The Holy Spirit is moving. Can you feel it? Too often, we settle for routine—managing our faith rather than experiencing the fullness of God’s presence. But Jesus made it clear: “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go, the Advocate will not come to you” (John 16:7).
Many believers long to be with Jesus as the disciples were. But the truth is, every Jesus follower today has the same access to Him—through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is our Advocate, our Teacher, our Comforter, our Power. He is the one who makes Jesus real to us today. And yet, so many of us live unaware, disconnected from this reality.
A fresh move of the Holy Spirit is coming. Those who embrace it will experience transformation, and power. Those who cling to religious systems will miss it.
There’s a hunger rising, a deep longing for something real. And here’s the truth: We don’t have to wait for revival—we are called to walk in the Spirit every day.
It’s time to say, “Yes.”
Imagine sitting down to tackle a jigsaw puzzle. You work carefully, starting with the edges, then filling in the middle, watching the picture slowly come to life. But just as you near the end, you spot something frustrating—one piece is missing.
A completed puzzle with a missing piece just doesn’t feel right. It draws the eye, making that small, empty space more noticeable than all the pieces that fit together perfectly. And yet, this is precisely how God builds His Church—not as a finished picture with clean edges, but as a constantly growing masterpiece with missing pieces that are yet to be found.
Being a church that constantly grows requires sacrifice. It means choosing to serve instead of sitting comfortably. It means welcoming interruptions because they might be divine appointments. It means recognizing that someone in your life—someone you already know—might be the missing piece God is asking you to reach.
So, who’s missing from your puzzle? And what will you do about it?
What if a divine opportunity came your way—a moment so profound, so life-changing, that you knew it was God calling you to step out in faith?
Would you hesitate, counting the cost, or would you seize the moment with all your heart? This is the question God places before each of us. His Spirit invites us to let go of what we know and take hold of something far greater: His supernatural, abundant life.
We live in a time of extraordinary opportunity. God’s Spirit is moving in unprecedented ways—on campuses, in workplaces, and through ordinary people stepping out in faith. The challenge for us is: Will we cling to comfort, or will we seize the train God is inviting us to board?
Seize the Opportunity for Reaching: We Are in a Time of Harvest
The fields are ripe, and God is stirring His people to action.
Seize the Opportunity for Revelation: We Are in a Time of Hunger
There’s a growing spiritual hunger for truth, both inside and outside the church.
Seize the Opportunity for Resilience: We Are in a Time of Refreshing
Even in trials, God is pouring out His Spirit, offering renewal and strength.
Seize the Opportunity for Returning: We Are in a Time of Restoring
The church is being restored to its original design—a family united by love and mission.
Seize the Opportunity for Reproducing: We Are in a Time of Multiplying
God’s work is multiplying as we focus on disciple-making and spiritual growth.
Seize the Opportunity for Releasing: We Are in a Time of Displaying
The church is stepping into a season of vibrant, authentic faith that reflects God’s glory.
Seize the Opportunity for Radiance: We Are in a Time of Refining
God is preparing His people to shine brighter than ever.
Seize the Opportunity for Rejoicing: We Are in a Time of Favor
This is a season to celebrate the extravagant love of the Father.
As you stand at the threshold, remember: His Spirit empowers you to step into the abundant life He’s promised. Open your hands to release what holds you back, and take hold of the life-changing invitation before you. The conductor is calling—will you get on board?
Mike emphasizes the importance of living out the rhythms of Jesus as a way to cultivate deeper intimacy with Him. He explains that true joy comes not from mere intentions but through actively engaging in a life of purpose and mission, illustrating this through the sending out of the 72 disciples to share the good news. Mike reassures the congregation that, despite challenges and discouragement, there is a joy to be found in living for others and embracing the call to serve. He concludes by inviting everyone to partake in communion, reflecting on the joy of being known and loved by Jesus, which inspires a commitment to lay down their lives for Him.
Mike reflects on the transition into the new year, emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities for growth and relationship with God. He encourages the congregation to shift from making resolutions to gaining realizations about God's presence and purpose in their lives. Highlighting the concept of "seizing" as an invitation to actively engage with God, Mike reminds the congregation that it involves letting go of comfort and control to fully embrace what God has in store. Ultimately, he calls on everyone to approach 2025 with an expectation of new experiences and greater awareness of God's goodness and faithfulness.
The coming of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith because it is the ultimate revelation of God’s character. Through His birth, life, death, and resurrection, we see a God who pursues us relentlessly, forgives us completely, and loves us unconditionally.
In his sermon, Jake emphasizes the Christmas story's foundational importance, exploring themes of hope, peace, joy, and love within the context of Advent. He discusses the contrasting emotions often felt during the holiday season, such as despair and loneliness, stemming from societal pressures and the commercialization of Christmas. Through snapshots of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the Magi, he illustrates how each figure teaches us valuable lessons about trust, obedience, worship, and passionate pursuit of Jesus. Ultimately, he invites everyone—whether close to God or feeling distant—to draw near to the manger and experience the transformative power of Christ this Christmas.
In his sermon, Mike discusses the importance of living with both consecration and captivation, framing them as essential postures for experiencing God’s presence and power in our lives. He emphasizes that true maturity in faith requires a childlike wonder and an expectancy of God's movement, highlighting the need for believers to invite God into every area of their lives. Mike shares impactful anecdotes to illustrate how we can actively engage with God and others, urging the congregation to break free from cynicism and busyness, which often dulls their spiritual sensitivity. Ultimately, he encourages everyone to cultivate a lifestyle of anticipation, being fully open to the revelations and amazing works that God has in store for them.
In his sermon, Mike emphasizes the power of consecration, urging the congregation to offer their weaknesses, will, wealth, wilderness, and work to God. He highlights that while everyone has weaknesses, these can be the very areas through which God performs extraordinary deeds. As a response to the message, he encourages attendees to identify and write down what they are consecrating in their lives, moving from a focus on personal capacity to a posture of surrender. The message closes with a call for the Holy Spirit's guidance and the intention to cultivate a life that is flammable for God's power to ignite.
In his sermon, Mike discusses the importance of understanding our purpose as followers of Jesus, emphasizing that it goes beyond mere religious practices to living a transformed life through the Holy Spirit. He highlights the struggle between our flesh and spirit. By examining what we feed—the algorithms of our lives—we can choose to nurture our relationship with the Holy Spirit, leading to true transformation and a deeper understanding of our identity in Christ. Ultimately, the sermon calls for humility and a longing for God's glory, encouraging the church to live in freedom and purpose, reflecting the radiance of Jesus in a broken world.
In this sermon, Mike emphasizes the importance of developing a biblical worldview through the "Foundations" series, focusing on understanding our identity in Christ. He encourages the congregation to detangle their beliefs from worldly ideas that distort their faith, asserting that many find their identities entangled with secular notions of success and acceptance rather than firmly rooted in Scripture. Highlighting the significance of being filled with the Holy Spirit and identifying as children of God, he challenges listeners to recognize their blessed identities—chosen, forgiven, and empowered—rather than being trapped in shame or insecurity. Mike concludes by inviting individuals to open their hearts to healing and blessing as they embrace their true identities in Christ, which promises transformation and hope.
In his sermon, Josh Weaver emphasizes the critical importance of the resurrection of Jesus, asserting that without it, faith is rendered pointless. He presents three possible views on Jesus: a liar, a lunatic, or truly the Lord, underscoring the need for every person to grapple with the identity of Jesus in their own life. The sermon further delves into the doctrine of salvation, highlighting the roles of grace, faith, and repentance, while stressing that true faith must translate into action. Ultimately, Weaver invites listeners to accept the offer of salvation, encouraging them to respond with repentance and a commitment to follow Jesus.
In his sermon, Mike discusses the importance of having a biblical worldview as Christians, emphasizing that our beliefs shape our decisions and how we navigate life. He highlights the spiritual battle believers face in a world where societal norms often contradict scripture, urging the congregation to embrace their role in spreading the kingdom of God. Drawing on the story of the early church in Pergamum, where Satan's influence was prevalent, he reminds listeners that they are called to resist darkness and release God's light in their communities. Finally, Mike calls on the church to recognize their authority in Christ, encouraging them to be active participants in proclaiming the truth and love of Jesus in a world desperate for hope.
Pastor Mike emphasizes the importance of prayer, especially in light of the upcoming election, encouraging the church to actively pray for leaders and the nation. He teaches that Jesus' main message centers around the "gospel of the kingdom," highlighting our responsibility as Christians to reflect God's values in a world influenced by sin and darkness. The sermon discusses the historical context of kingdom authority, beginning with God's intention in the Garden of Eden and the subsequent fall, which led to corruption and the need for Jesus as the true King. Finally, Pastor Mike reminds the congregation to place their hope in Jesus rather than in political outcomes, urging them to embody the kingdom of God in their daily lives.
Jake shared a sermon about the significance of the Incarnation, emphasizing that Jesus was both fully God and fully human. He illustrated how Hudson Taylor, a missionary in the 19th century, adapted to Chinese culture to spread the gospel effectively, embodying the principle of becoming "all things to all people." Jake highlighted that understanding the Incarnation can transform how we live our daily lives, calling us to depend on God, embrace humility, and extend compassion to others. Ultimately, he encouraged the congregation to reflect God's love in every situation, living out the mission of the church as the Body of Christ.
In life, we're faced with countless questions, but there’s one that rises above all others. It’s a question that shapes not only our future but also how we navigate our present. In fact, the way we answer this question determines how we handle every challenge, joy, and uncertainty that comes our way.
That question is simple: Who is Jesus?
Jesus posed this question to His disciples in the region of Caesarea Philippi, a place known for its pagan worship and spiritual darkness. Amid this setting, surrounded by confusion and false beliefs, Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, "Who do people say I am?" After hearing various responses, He made it personal: "But who do you say I am?"
It’s a question we all must answer. Who do you say Jesus is?
When Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” he wasn’t just identifying Jesus as a good teacher or miracle worker. He was declaring Him as the Messiah, the Anointed One sent by God.
In ancient times, those anointed with oil—prophets, priests, and kings—were set apart for a divine purpose. But Jesus was more than just a king or prophet; He was the bridge between heaven and earth, bringing God’s presence into our brokenness. Every aspect of our lives—our pain, purpose, and problems—are like stones that we carry. When Jesus becomes our cornerstone, everything else aligns with His perfect plan.
Jesus invites us to lay our burdens at His feet and trust Him as the foundation of our lives. When we surrender to Him, we find hope, purpose, and peace. The way we answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” shapes our present and future.
The most important question you’ll ever answer is this: Who is Jesus to you? When you declare, like Peter, that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God, everything changes. You align your life with the truth, and in that truth, you find hope, purpose, and peace.
We often think the world we see is all there is, but the Bible reveals that we live in two realities—one physical, one spiritual. While we interact with the seen world every day, there’s an unseen spiritual realm that impacts us just as much. Understanding this is essential to navigating life’s challenges.
The Bible teaches that behind every situation in the physical world, there’s a spiritual battle. Angels work on behalf of God, while Satan and his fallen angels strive to oppose His plans. From the very beginning, Satan’s goal has been to lead humanity away from God by using lies and deception. And his tactics are often subtle—disguising evil as good and convincing us of "almost truths."
Charles Spurgeon said, “Discernment is knowing the difference between right and almost right.”
Satan thrives on counterfeits—ideas that sound good but are not aligned with God’s truth. His goal is to make us doubt God’s goodness, twist His word, and lead us to trust in ourselves rather than in Him. Discernment helps us spot these deceptions and keep us on the right path.
At the heart of spiritual warfare is the question of trust. Just as Satan tempted Eve to doubt God’s word in the Garden of Eden, he tempts us to question God’s goodness and take matters into our own hands. When we trust God and rely on His truth, we can stand firm against these attacks and experience the abundant life He promises.
So, how do we guard ourselves against these subtle half-truths that look almost right? Here are some practical steps to help you grow in discernment.
Replace lies with truth
Saturate yourself in God’s Word so that when the enemy tries to deceive you, you can stand on the truth. When Satan whispers lies about your worth or identity, remind yourself of what God says about you.
Replace worry with worship
Turn your focus away from fear and anxiety by choosing to worship God. Worship helps us remember who God is and re-centers our hearts on His power and goodness.
Replace pride with humility
Pride was Satan’s downfall, and it’s a key way he tries to trap us. Stay humble before God and others, recognizing that we need His grace and guidance every day.
Replace distraction with devotion
Our lives are full of distractions, but staying devoted to God’s purpose helps us keep the main thing the main thing. Prioritize time with God, and be mindful of the distractions that pull you away from Him.
Replace isolation with community
We need each other. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you, pray for you, and remind you of the truth when you’re in the thick of the battle.
In this unseen battle, discernment is our greatest defense. We must ask God for the wisdom to see through Satan’s schemes and the strength to stand firm. Spiritual warfare isn’t something to fear—it’s something to engage in with the confidence that God has already won the victory through Christ.
As we grow in our understanding of this reality, we can live with greater awareness, not only of the battle around us but also of the resources God has given us to overcome. Victory comes when we trust God, stand on His truth, and rely on His strength.
In today’s world, definitions of right and wrong are constantly shifting, especially when it comes to love, morality, and identity. A biblical worldview helps us navigate these changes by grounding us in God’s unchanging truth. It’s more than using Bible words—it’s about understanding their true meaning and applying them to our lives.
One clear example is love. Society often redefines love to suit cultural trends, making it self-serving or conditional. But biblical love, modeled by Christ, is sacrificial and rooted in truth. As believers, we must examine whether we are embracing a cultural version of love or living out its true biblical meaning.
Every day, we’re engaged in spiritual warfare. While angels serve as messengers of truth, demons spread deception. Recognizing the spiritual battle behind everyday struggles—whether it’s anxiety, identity issues, or fear—reminds us that Jesus has already won the war. We fight from victory, not for it.
Discernment is key to navigating these battles. The Bible teaches that behind the physical world lies a spiritual realm, with unseen forces at work (Colossians 1:16). By developing spiritual discernment, we can see beyond the surface of world events and personal challenges and respond in a way that aligns with God’s truth.
Ultimately, having a biblical worldview helps us live in the freedom Christ offers. It anchors us in truth, giving us the confidence to face challenges with clarity and hope, no matter how the world redefines its values.
Eventually, a post-Christian society moves from assuming Christian values to ignoring them, to resenting them, to repressing them, and eventually to persecuting them. What was once Christian and is now post-Christian will eventually become anti-Christian.
Eventually, a post-Christian society moves from assuming Christian values to ignoring them, to resenting them, to repressing them, and eventually to persecuting them. What was once Christian and is now post-Christian will eventually become anti-Christian.
In a world full of distractions and conflicting voices, it can be hard to know what to believe. But life’s foundation must be strong, and for Christians, that foundation is God’s Word.
Jesus illustrated this beautifully in the Sermon on the Mount, where He compared two builders: one built on rock, and the other on sand. When the storms came, only the house built on rock stood firm. Jesus wasn’t talking about literal storms, but the challenges and hardships we all face. His message is clear—those who build their lives on His words will stand firm.
The Bible is not just a collection of ancient writings—it’s God’s inspired word. When we read, "Thus says the Lord," it's not up for debate; it’s authoritative and meant to guide our lives. The opening chapters of Genesis demonstrate the power of God’s word. When God said, "Let there be light," light appeared instantly. His words have creative and life-giving power, showing us who He is and how we’re meant to live.
Without the Bible, we wouldn't know about God’s love, His desire for relationship, or the path to His grace. It’s through His word that we understand these deeper truths and discover how to navigate life.
In today’s world, we’re constantly confronted with different ideas of what’s right and true. But while society’s values shift, the Bible remains our steady foundation. God's word doesn’t change with trends or popular opinion; it stands firm, offering timeless wisdom.
Trusting in God’s authority can be difficult, especially when we’re used to seeing authority misused. But God’s authority is different—it’s for our good, leading us into a life of peace and purpose. Jesus Himself modeled this trust when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Rather than rely on His own reasoning, He stood firm on Scripture, saying, “It is written.”
In today’s culture, we’re often told to "follow your heart" or "live your truth." But the Bible offers a different path. It calls us to trust in God’s wisdom, not our own, and to believe that His way is better—even when it’s challenging. Just like Eve in the garden, we can be tempted to define right and wrong for ourselves, but God’s wisdom is always greater.
Building our lives on the unchanging truth of God’s word ensures we’ll be able to stand firm, no matter what storms come our way.
To create clarity regarding our overall Care Strategy at Grace Chapel so that our body better understands that while our staff are the primary “care contacts” for our body, many more serve as the “care conduits” to our body.
"The Pharisee’s trouble was that he was self-righteous, believing that he was righteous in himself. He was not, as we say, ‘justified by faith’, but by works—his own works. He went to the temple to inform God how good he was, and thus went home unjustified." — John Stott, "The Message of the Sermon on the Mount.”
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” and “your neighbor as yourself.” How do we not lose our convictions and even advocate for our convictions but still love those whom we strongly disagree with?
Kingdom is released by Investing with your possessions, pain, presence, passions, posture, prayers, and perspective.
As we continue our deep dive into the Parables, Jesus explains in the Parable of the Sower that the Word of God is like seeds sown in different types of hearts, representing varying responses to the message. God desires all His children to receive His Word and bear fruit, regardless of how fertile our spiritual background is. Pure and open hearts, free from distractions and the weeds of sin, are ripe to nurture a relationship with God and truly understand His Word. By emulating the faithful Sower, we can cultivate spiritual maturity and sow seeds of faith in others with the life-giving message of God's kingdom.
In this week’s sermon, Pastor Jen examines the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25. In the story, five of the ten virgins ran out of oil while waiting for the bridegroom’s appearance. They weren’t prepared. As they went to buy more oil, the five wise virgins went into the banquet hall and the door was locked. The days we live in are uncertain, yet we have eternal hope in Jesus. As we live in the end times, how are you waiting? In expectant preparation? Are you using the time wisely, preparing for Jesus’ return? Or are you hoping you’ll have time to clean yourself up before Jesus gets here? What about in relation to others—are you spending the days sharing the Good News so that others can be prepared as well? Equip your hearts and minds with this encouraging message.
Worship is the reverential response of creation to the all-encompassing magnificence of God.
How do we abide in the Spirit?
Trust fully
Die to self
Receive His love
Receive His Truth
Soak in His Word
Walk in obedience
Listen to His voice
Express gratitude and praise
Eliminate consumption and comparison of the world
Pray and share everything with Him
We are called to participate in God's work because it is His heart, we are called to it, it transforms us, and we carry the solution.
Martin Luther once said, "I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer." Prayer is an essential part of our life. Never be too blessed or successful to forget to pray. Prayer is the source of our strength and safeguard, acquiring and sustaining blessings. Make prayer a habit.
In this week's message, Pastor Mike explores the fundamental principles of Christian faith and living. He emphasizes the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity, the transformative power of suffering, and the necessity of spiritual growth through humility, community, and obedience. Pastor Mike encourages us to lead lives of distinction, deeply rooted in faith and characterized by an unwavering pursuit of God's will, even in the midst of life's trials and tribulations. This is the true path of discipleship and transformation.
Throughout our Living Series, we have discussed what it looks like to live surrendered, Jesus-following, holy, consecrated lives.
We have practiced praying for healing, individual and community confession, and asked God to show us areas where we can live consecrated lives. We want to hear how the Holy Spirit is working in your life!
In what area of your life are you walking in more freedom or have you experienced healing? If you would like to share your story with us, please answer the questions on the form linked below.
Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere, in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the universe."
-
Holy Spirit = God's Active Personal Presence
-
Witness = Telling people about Jesus
-
Ends of the Earth = Everywhere
Discussion Questions:
Read Acts 10
In verses 2-9, Cornelius and Peter both functioned in their everyday/average rhythms of talking with God when they each had a vision. Do you have a regular/average rhythm of prayer? If so, what does that look like? If not, what could a regular rhythm be for your life?
In verse 20, God used that time to invite them into a mission with Him. How do you keep your ear/ life attuned to the invitation of God? Can you walk into your mission 'with no doubts'?
Jesus had a high view of the Holy Spirit and the role of the Holy Spirit in his life. What does living entirely dependent on the Holy Spirit look like in your life?
In verses 34-35, God called Peter into a time of repentance in disqualifying people to be a part of the Kingdom of God. We often disqualify ourselves and others, too. Which of these resonates with your heart?
Even me, Lord? Do you disqualify yourself because of your story, sin, comparison with others, and perceived value?
Even my prodigal Lord? Yes, our Father's heart is turned toward your prodigal. We live in hope because of the gospel laid out in this chapter! Believe, pray, keep inviting! Even that person, Lord? We live in this broken world and experience hurt, frustration, and righteous anger in our human relationships. We are called to love, forgive, bless, and pray for our enemies.
Group Practice:
With your group, identify the 'even' statement that you know God wants to address in your life. Pray for one another - Pray for value and identity over those feeling discouraged/disqualified. Pray hope with those whose hearts are breaking for their prodigal. Pray for Peter's repentance over those struggling with an 'other.' Use this prayer of forgiveness to release 'that person' and your heart!
In Acts 19 Ananias presents us with a blueprint for faith. He says "Here I am Lord" which is a response to the Lord all throughout the scriptures.
Do we live as if God is wiser than us?
Do we live as if God has forgiven us?
Do we live as if God is all-powerful?
Do we live as if God is with us?
Do we live as if judgment is real?
Discussion Questions:
Where do you see possible compromise in the church or in your life?
What does the word consecrate mean to you?
Where do you see the kingdom of darkness battling with the kingdom of light?
What areas of your life led you to seek cleaning, dedication, and sacrifice?
Group Practice:
Spend time praying and invite the Holy Spirit to show you where you can be more consecrated.
Write down and share with someone else specifically where you want to be more cleansed, dedicated, and sacrificial.
Two ways we conspire against the Spirit's Holiness in our lives:
-
The Spirit-Filled life is limited through grieving the Spirit
-
The Spirit-Filled life is limited through quenching the Spirit
“Holiness is not simply about trying harder; yes, it takes effort, but it is more than that. It is about faith in God’s holy power, a power that makes the unclean clean, turns the profane into something sacred, and calls and consecrates us into a Christ-shaped way of being human. Holiness happens when I draw myself nearer to a holy God and God’s Spirit is drawn into the very fabric of my being. It is in communion with God that we are consecrated and committed to a holy pattern of existence that is set apart from the ways of this world.”
— Michael Bird
Discussion Questions:
-
What does God's Holiness mean to you?
-
How can you receive the Spirit's provision in your struggles?
-
Is there a sin in your life that you need to be more honest about?
-
What does it mean to practice confessing our sins to one another?
Group Practice:
Spend time this week with at least one other person or in a group of 2-3 and practice confession with each other. Share at what level of vulnerability you are comfortable with, but pray this prayer together:
"Dear Heavenly Father, I confess that I have sinned against you. I have turned away from your commands and pursued my own desires. You are a holy God, and I desire to be holy too. Set apart unto You, and living my life in a manner that is worthy of You and pleasing to You.
Search my heart, I pray, and if there is any cherished sin lurking within, I ask that You would search it out and destroy it. Help me to crucify my flesh, pulverize my ego, and walk freely with Your Spirit.
I receive Your forgiveness, and I receive Your healing power. I invite Your life and abundance into my brokenness. I empty myself and ask that You fill me with Your Spirit. Thank You for Your unfailing love and mercies. In Jesus' name, Amen!"
Discussion Questions:
-
What areas of your life do you feel worn down or spiritually fatigued?
-
What holds us back from surrendering and obeying the Holy Spirit?
-
What does God's Holiness mean to you?
-
How can you receive the Spirit's provision in your struggles?
-
Is there a sin in your life that you need to be more honest about?
-
What does it mean to practice confessing our sins to one another?
Group Practice:
Break down into smaller groups of 2 or 3. At whatever level you are comfortable, share some sins you struggle with and pray for each other. Pray a prayer like this:
"Holy Spirit, we confess these areas of sin. I confess that I need your provision in this area. I confess that through your power and grace, I can walk in holiness. Holy Spirit, what do you want me to receive from you in this area? (Be quiet and listen for what He wants to replace, ie. Fruit) Holy Spirit, I receive what you have for me, and pray for your power to live it out. Thank you for your grace and holiness working in me. In Jesus' name, amen!"
In 2006, Pastor Jake and his wife embarked on a journey to adopt their oldest child from Rwanda, Africa.
Their stay in the country extended past seven weeks as they navigated the bureaucratic process to bring their child home.
While in Nairobi, Kenya, they taught their daughter how to swim in a hotel pool. One memory stands out for Jake: his daughter clinging to him as they ventured into the deeper parts of the pool.
Eventually, she learned how to swim on her own and found joy in exploring deeper water.
This memory parallels the journey of discovering the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is like the depths of a pool—even though it may seem scary at first, it’s ultimately a beautiful place to explore.
Just as Pastor Jake's daughter eventually found joy in exploring the depths of the pool, we, too, can find joy in exploring our relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.
Let us all strive to go deeper and experience all the Holy Spirit offers.
Discussion Questions:
-
Discuss your thoughts on how Acts 3-4 demonstrates "Living: The Spirit-Filled Life".
-
Have you ever experienced or witnessed a miracle? Share your experience.
-
Can you think of a time when you saw someone take a bold action for their faith? How did it impact those who witnessed it? Discuss how taking bold steps in faith, even in small ways, can influence others around us.
-
Have you ever been in a situation where you had to stand up for your beliefs or values, especially when it was unpopular or risky? What gave you the courage to do so?
-
How does prayer support you in difficult times, and how can we support each other in prayer as a group? How does prayer influence your actions and decisions?
Group Practice:
As a group, ask if anyone needs healing in any way, Physically, Emotionally, Mentally, or Spiritually. Take turns as a group gathering around each person that needs healing, ask if they are comfortable with people placing a hand on them; if so, put a hand on their shoulder or back, then pray simple, bold prayers, IN JESUS NAME for complete healing. This is not about the length of time in prayer or the "best" prayer… it's simply praying for healing in Jesus' name. The power for healing is in the name of Jesus!
We are thrilled to introduce a new series called "Living" as part of our focus on the rhythms of Jesus.
In this series, our focus will be on living life in the Spirit, which is essential to living the life and rhythms of Jesus.
For many in our Church family, this may be a new concept or something that you did not learn about growing up. Therefore, as we begin this series, we invite you to be open to learning about and experiencing life in the Spirit. Put your hands out, close your eyes, tune out the chaos of your daily life, and be open to receiving from the Spirit of God.
Regardless of your background or experience, we believe that this series will help us deepen our relationship with God and live a life that is more aligned with Jesus. The Holy Spirit wants to speak to each one of us individually and has something valuable to offer to everyone.
Living a spiritual life is a crucial part of living the life of Jesus, and we hope to inspire you to deepen your relationship with God. We encourage you to join us on this journey of discovering what it means to live a life in the Spirit and experience the joy and peace that come from knowing the person of the Holy Spirit.
The Power of Discipleship:
Experiencing and Expressing the Essence of Jesus.
The Path of Discipleship:
Discipleship is the life-transforming journey of doing life with others and being fully known (Friendship) as we pursue and practice the life of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit (Purpose).
The Plan of Discipleship:
Invite, Invest, and Inspire
Curious Follower: Those who follow Jesus with caution but are openly seeking
Conflicted Follower: Those who want what Jesus offers but also want what the world offers
Casual Follower: Those who believe fully in Jesus but follow as a consumer when it is convenient
Committed Follower: Those who are all in and fully devoted their lives to risking and following Jesus
Connected Follower: Those invested in a discipleship group and helping to cultivate Jesus in others
As we navigate the discipleship journey, Pastor Mike reminds us that our joy is not only found in personal growth but when we invest in others. Drawing inspiration from the New Testament, he highlights the apostle Paul's repeated expressions of joy in those he mentored and walked alongside.
Discipleship, is not only about gaining knowledge but experiencing the profound joy that comes from fostering genuine connections, much like the discipleship communities in the early church.
Let's be intentional about pursuing discipleship together. Whether you've been a follower of Christ for years or are just starting, there's a place for you to connect, grow, and experience the joy that comes from being deeply rooted in Christ, both individually and as a community.
Discussion Questions:
-
What areas of your spiritual formation are you desiring to grow in?
-
What gaps would you say are in your spiritual formation?
-
What helps us grow deep roots of trust in God?
-
What season of formation would you say you are in right now?
-
Of the categories of followers, which one best describes you?
-
Are you actively pursuing others to be in discipleship with?
-
How does getting into small groups help foster deeper discipleship?
There is a big difference between reacting and responding. When we react, our actions may come from fear, hate, and impatience. On the other hand, when we respond with intentionality, our actions are more often rooted in peace, love, patience, kindness, and wisdom.
One of the most significant ways we can shift from reacting to responding is by walking together in community with other believers.
The Holy Spirit actively operates within community, working through us to cultivate a sense of belonging, sharpening and releasing one another. These environments encourage us to respond to life’s challenges from a place of peace rather than reacting out of fear.
Community is crucial for believers. “Christianity is essentially a social religion,” said John Wesley, and “to turn it into a solitary religion is indeed to destroy it.” Creating community transforms us from passive observers, relying solely on ourselves, to active partners with Jesus, fostering reliance on Him and one another.
Community also plays a vital role in transitioning from a shaky faith to a solid one. When we recognize that our roots determine our actions, we can shift our focus to being firmly rooted in love. This will ensure that our faith remains unwavering, even in challenging seasons, which allows us to respond with love instead of reacting with hate.
As we prepare together, reflect on these questions:
In what areas of your life do you tend to react instead of responding?
How does being deeply rooted in Jesus change your trust in God?
Join us on this journey. Embrace the shifts from reaction to response, passivity to partnership, and a shaky faith to a firm foundation.
I’m convinced many believers live as Passive, Powerless, Pointless and Paranoid…instead of Passionate, Provocative, Purposeful and Powerful. Our faith can feel Feeble, Frail, and Flimsy instead of Fearless, Favored, and Fervent. Jesus sent out his disciples as a movement to change the world. This was a movement led by the ordinary but empowered for the extraordinary. A movement led by the marginalized, uneducated, impaired, and ignored. Yet, their calling for greatness far exceeded their capacity for greatness. Our limitation is always the beginning of God’s demonstration.
Discussion Questions:
-
Do you feel a spiritual malaise?
-
What does being ready spiritually mean to you?
-
How can we prepare ourselves for a move of God?
-
Where do you feel the most unprepared in your faith?
-
How does being in community help prepare you for uncertainty or challenges?
Prayer Prompts
What have I allowed to harden my heart?
Pray for one another that we would have tender hearts responsive to the work of the Holy Spirit.
Pray that we, as a church family, would be responsive to the Holy Spirit.
Pray together and ask God if there is someone you need help seeing from a new perspective, from God’s perspective.
Pray together for what a ministry of reconciliation may look like in your lives, whether with other people, injustices you see in your social/economic spheres, etc.
To experience the new, what do you need to return to in your faith? Full trust? Boldness in prayer? Resting in Jesus’ arms? Pray for growth as we return to a childlike faith!
Having a childlike faith requires humility. Pray for bold humility - personally, as a family, and as a church. Pray for our church to be renewed as we return to a childlike faith.
What area of culture has potentially taken up space in your mind?
Where does the enemy have a seat at your table?
Pray together for a renewed desire to be in scripture and meditation in 2024 consistently.
To be a Family on Mission is to live under Oikonomics.
Oikonomics is the economy of our oikos. It’s how we do everyday discipleship
Prayer Prompt:
"Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing us to be part of Your Family. In the authority of Jesus, we pray for peace, joy, protection, healing, and victory. We pray for blessing and breakthrough in Jesus' name. Amen!"
Discussion Questions:
-
What does being on mission as a family mean to you?
-
What are practical ways you can invest in the spiritual economy of your church or personal family?
-
What areas of attack are you facing in your life right now?
-
How can we as a family help each other win the battle and stay on mission?
The family was created by God
The family of God includes all who believe in Jesus
The mission of the family has been and will always be about Jesus.
The mission of the family is to shine the light of Christ in the world through words and actions.
Discussion Questions:
Have you ever seen a Family live on mission together?
What did that look like? How would you describe their life together?
With Jesus' redefinition of family, who is your family?
What does it look like to be on mission with this spiritual family.
What can you do to take a step toward living on mission as a family?
What obstacles might get in the way?
Prayer Prompt:
Spend time thanking God for creating family. Ask Jesus to show you what it means to be a family on mission and who that includes. Invite the Holy Spirit to show you how your family can bring the hope, peace, and love of Jesus to the world.
When the love of God is greater than the love of money, our earthly resources become heaven's resources. We must see our money as gateways to hell on earth or gateways to heaven on earth. With our money, we can release hell, or we can release Heaven.
“The primary reason we lose faith is because we forget the faithfulness of God. Maybe that's why the word remember is repeated 250 times in Scripture.”
– Mark Batterson
The are 5 types of Churches:
-
Compromising Churches that partner with a Rebellious Spirit.
-
Complacent Churches that partner with a Reluctant Spirit.
-
Consumer Churches that partner with a Replacing Spirit.
-
Combative Churches that partner with a Religious Spirit.
-
Compelling Churches that partner with a Renewing Spirit.
Compelling: "Evoking interest, attention, or conviction in a powerfully irresistible way."
Discussion Questions:
-
What would cause someone to love Jesus but turn away from Him?
-
How does the enemy or devil use deception to confuse us about God?
-
What does it look like to gently correct someone with a wrong view of the Bible?
-
What does it mean to be courageous about what the Bible teaches?
-
What does contending for the faith look like for you today?
Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, thank You that Your Word tells me that in You, I will be able to stand and win against all the strategies of our spiritual enemy. Empower me to be strong in You and in the power of Your might as I put on Your armor, protecting my soul as I trust in You.
Eventually, a post-Christian society moves from assuming Christian values to ignoring them, to resenting them, to repressing them, and eventually to persecuting them. What was once Christian and is now post-Christian will eventually become anti-Christian.
Jesus will one day come back for His bride, the church. Scriptures teach us that we should be living with a posture of expectancy, watching, outpouring, encouragement, discernment, urgency, and hope.
Prayers For Peace
Personally:
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. - Isaiah 26:3
Pray for Rest, Relationships, Inner Peace, Forgiveness, Hope, Healing
In Our State:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
- Philippians 2:3 ESV
Pray for Schools, Businesses, Poverty, Crime, Civil Workers
In Our Nation:
When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
- Proverbs 29:2 ESV
Pray for Unity, Humility, Protection, Truth, Revival
In Our World:
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. - Matthew 6:10
Pray for Restraining evil, Unity, Reconciliation, Protection, and Prevention of Escalations.
Worldly Hope is based on circumstances; Faith Hope is based on character.
Worldly Hope is focused on a desired outcome; Faith Hope is focused on a desired outlook.
Worldly Hope is about minimizing disappointments; Faith Hope is about maximizing disappointments.
Worldly Hope is about narrow expectations; Faith Hope is about wide anticipations.
What you call a hardship, heaven calls a harvest.
The goal of the Gospel is not to affirm your behavior, celebrate your lifestyle, or empower you to do whatever you want to do. The goal of the Gospel is to rescue you, transform you, and empower you to live fully the life of Jesus.
Prayer of Salvation:
Dear Lord, I admit that I am a sinner. I have done many things that don't please you. I have lived my life for myself only. I am sorry, and I repent. I ask you to forgive me. I believe you died on the cross for me, to save me. You did what I could not do for myself. I come to you now and ask you to take control of my life; I give it to you. From this day forward, help me to live every day for you and in a way that pleases you.
Prayer of Leveraging:
Lord God Almighty, touch my heart so that it longs for the salvation of every person in every nation on earth. May Your Spirit deepen my anguish over those lost in darkness. Lord, use me and leverage all I have to see others experience your love and know you personally. Empower me through your Spirit to boldly show and share your good news of love.
Reflection Questions:
-
How can I leverage my life for others who don't know Jesus?
-
Who is in your circle of relationships that you can be more intentional to share your faith?
-
What is the cost I am willing to risk to represent Jesus to others?
-
What is your story of coming to Jesus, and if you haven't, what is holding you back?
"The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who are identified as Christians will become disciples students, apprentices, practitioners of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the Kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence." — Dallas Willard
Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, We give you thanks for the gift of community. We are invited to engage together with hope, joy, and love as Your disciples. Open our hearts and our eyes to see others as you would have us to see them. Help us to find humility to sit and hear others when so often we want to be heard first. You are good and you are gracious, O God, help us leverage our lives and die to ourselves for the sake of building up others. It is in the name Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.”
Discussion Questions:
-
What does being a place of refuge mean to you?
-
What areas of your life can you leverage for Jesus and others?
-
Is there anyone you are inviting or investing in spiritually?
-
In what ways can you participate in helping others grow spiritually?
The extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights!
If your heart is pure, it is impossible to miss God. He is just too big of a target.
Where can you aim and not come in contact with Him?
Where can you reach and not touch something that declares His existence?
Where can you look and not see the fingerprints of His majesty?
Look up, and discover His wonder in the stars.
Look down, and see His glory in a flower.
The mountains’ heights remind us He is our Rock of refuge.
The ocean’s roar declares His undeniable might.
The wind awakens our souls to His unseen presence as it whispers, “There is more.”
Discussion Questions:
-
How would you define your relationship with God right now? Casual? Committed? Intellectual? Frequent? Rare? Emergency only?
-
If you have a desire to go deeper with God - identify one way you could increase in that ongoing, unending revelation relationship. Pray and ask God to give you one way to grow deeper with Him, or ask a friend to come alongside and offer ideas!
-
If you don’t have a desire to go deeper, ask God to show you why. Are you too comfortable where you are and don’t want to mess things up? Are you afraid? Pray and ask God for the desire to go deeper, completely dependent on the Holy Spirit as your life line!
-
Read through Psalm 18, 138, 57, 109, 35, 37, 23, 40, 136, and 27 - consider how David viewed God even in the face of great opposition. How would you define your opposition? How does David explain the ways God wants to meet you there?
-
What are your expectations of Jesus?
-
Where/how do you best hear His voice?
-
How can you practice sitting at the feet of Jesus this week? Luke 10:38-42
-
Read through the following verses and ask God to highlight which identity statement He is speaking over you right now! John 15:15, 1 Thess 1:4, Eph 2:10, 1 Cor 6:19, Acts 1:8, John 1:12, Gal 3:26, Rom 5:8, John 8:36, 2 Cor 5:17
Prayer Prompt:
Holy Spirit, draw me deeper, deeper than I would normally consider. Make me brave. Help me trust you to hold me, sustain me, comfort me, and give me both courage and peace! Give me a desire for more of you - no matter the cost - trusting that you are a good God who will never leave or forsake me!
Jesus, help me to adjust my expectation of you. You are power; in you there is freedom. You died for healing and restoration. Help me to trust what You are doing rather than demand You do what I want. Open my eyes to see where you are! Open my ears to hear Your voice! Open my mind to receive your thoughts! Open my heart to receive Your love!
Father God - it says in Psalm 139, David says, ‘I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.’ May I have the confidence, the belief that I am fearfully and wonderfully made! May I walk in the identity You speak over me! Help me shed the names I’ve adopted from others or my broken thinking. Show me the lies about me that I’ve made agreements with, and break those off! Jesus died so I would walk in my new identity - not stay a slave to the grave He defeated! Help me to believe that I am chosen, that I am worthy, that I am Your child, that I am free, that I am greatly loved, that I am Your messenger, and that I am beautifully, fearfully, and wonderfully made! Amen.
Alignment through practices often moves us from the omnipresence of God to the manifested presence of God. Changes in alignment can be a bit subtle at first. You may not notice that your steering response has been negatively affected until you have to make an emergency maneuver and find yourself with no control over what your vehicle is doing.
Discussion Questions:
-
In what areas do I feel my life is out of alignment with God. What does that look like for you?
-
How do you sense God is revealing more of Himself to you?
-
When you think of the process of being refined and radiant, what areas of your life do you sense needing refinement?
-
In a posture of humility and surrender, what areas of your life do you want to turn to him for healing and wholeness?
Prayer Prompt:
O Lord, be the architect and builder of my life. Father, give me the grace to build on no other foundation but the foundation of Christ. I ask that you lovingly replace every faulty foundation in my life with the truth and wisdom of Jesus Christ. Help me through the power of your Spirit, put into practice your words and your ways. Amen.
Living the vision of Jesus requires partnering with the purpose, power, preparation, provision, people, and plan of Jesus.
Discussion Questions:
What areas of your life do you ache for transformation?
What does living life in partnership with the Holy Spirit mean to you?
What does living life in partnership with the purifying of Jesus mean to you?
What does living life in partnership with the practices of Jesus mens to you?
What does living life in partnership with the posture of Jesus mean to you?
Which areas of the 90-Day challenge are you interested in?
Prayer Prompt:
We come before you today, humbly, needing of your grace, praying for the power of your Holy Spirit to fill us afresh. Our hearts are filled with eager expectation. We bless you for your faithfulness in bringing to completion the good work you’ve begun in us. We long to be finally and fully whole. No more knowing in part. No more worshipping you in part. No more loving others in part. May our present sufferings give way to eternal blessings. Make us radiant and shine your glory in us and through us. Wake us up, Lord! Remind us to live aware, to redeem the time, to listen to your words, to be willing to make a difference in the places you’ve called us to be. We ask for an awakening of your presence in our own lives and in the world around us, as never seen before!
Ekplesso encompasses the ideas of wonder, astonishment, or amazement. It expresses a stunned amazement
that leaves the subject unable to grasp what is happening.
Discussion Questions:
1.What storms in your life have shaken your faith foundation?
2.How has Jesus been a foundation in those storms?
3.What areas of your life are you needing to “practice” the way of Jesus?
4.What type of false authorities lead to building on the wrong foundation?
Prayer Prompt:
O Lord, be the architect and builder of my life. Father, give me the grace to build on no other foundation but the foundation of Christ. I ask that you lovingly replace every faulty foundation in my life with the truth and wisdom of Jesus Christ. Help me through the power of your Spirit, put into practice your words and your ways. Amen.
False prophets create false problems in order to appear as true messiahs. If Satan cannot dethrone God in Heaven, he will try to dethrone God in hearts. Satan's strategy is simple: make sin look normal and righteousness look strange.
Prayer Prompt:
Heavenly Father, I ask that You would grant me a discerning heart. A heart that seeks to know You, and to know the truth of Your Word. But more than that, I ask that You would grant me a heart that seeks to keep Your mind. Please open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word, to take it to heart, and to apply it to my daily life. Amen.
Discussion Questions:
What path would you describe you are on, wide or narrow?
What are the differences between the wide and narrow road?
Why do you think people are attracted to the wide road?
What false prophets do you see in the world today?
What deceptive lies do you see in the world today?
How can we as the Church be more discerning?
"A critical spirit is a ravenous beast that devours many an honest effort, loving gesture, or kind deed with nary a backward glance. Threatening to steal the joy from everything that isn’t perfect and everyone who falls short of its expectations. It poisons every relationship it touches, because the pressure of an impossible standard is too heavy to bear. Those in relationship with one who possesses a critical spirit are always trying and always falling short. Eventually they stop trying altogether." – Lori Hatcher, 4 Ways to Cure a Critical Spirit
Discussion Questions:
-
What does healthy judging look like?
-
How do you work on not being hypercritical?
-
What does it mean to remove the plank out of my own eye?
-
How can we be better at having a posture of receiving input from others?
Prayer Prompt:
"Father, I lay down my self-imposed responsibility of judging the heart, motives, intentions, and actions of the people in my life. You have instructed me in this, and I will obey you. I remove the back-breaking burden of being the judge, and I repent of the pride in my life that is evident every time I have a critical, judgmental thought. You have commanded me to walk in forgiveness and love, to rise above offenses, and to walk humbly with you. I choose that road today. I submit my thoughts to you for approval, choosing loving thoughts and not condemning thoughts, compassionate thoughts not critical thoughts. And kindly remove the log in my eye. Thank you."
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
The Bible tells us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. Prayer may or may not change the other person, but it always changes you.
Pray this prayer with us:
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your unconditional love. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Teach us to take love seriously. Give us your heart for the people around us, especially those we find difficult to love. Holy Spirit, lead me to pursue reconciliation and forgiveness toward my enemies. I pray that my love for others would glorify you, Jesus. Amen.
Jesus summed up the law he came to fulfill in two sentences - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and Love your neighbor as yourself.
Prayer Prompt:
Teach me to Love like you did, like you do - with ALL my heart, ALL my soul, And ALL my mind! Give me eyes to see others this week through Your eyes of love! Amen!
Kingdom reality happens when the brilliance of heaven meets the brokenness of earth. Do you live a life that releases the Kingdom or restrains it?
Prayer Prompt:
"There is no part of life you do not touch, O God. Help us to bring light into all the darkness of life, spreading hope for a better world, a world where justice is made real by your children living together in harmony. Help us to bring salt into the blandness of life, encouraging vitality and joy in living in a world that dares to hope for the future that you promise where all your children will know themselves loved and valued and treasured, created in your image, bringing you glory forever. Amen."
— Rev Liz Crumlish
God's faithfulness goes from generation to generation. Scripture tells us that we should pass down what the Lord has done in our lives throughout the generations. He has called us to contend for the faith of our families.
Baptism and communion are sacred experiences that represent both the individual, inward commitment to a personal relationship with Jesus and the corporate, outward sign of being connected to a local community of Christ followers—the local church.
Injustice: Unfair treatment, a situation in which the rights of a person or a group of people are ignored.
Since sin’s inception, the world has been living under the tyranny of evil. Since Jesus’ inception, the tyranny of evil is now living under the threat of the Messiah
Africa New Life is locally led, dedicated to integrity, investing in families, and transforming lives in Rwanda! They recognize that, with educational sponsorship at the core of their work, children need other key factors to succeed: growing faith, community development, and a healthy body.
Don't bring your assumptions and preconceived notions into your understanding or conclusions.
Don’t form conclusions based on partial facts or insufficient information or the opinions and speculations of others.
Don’t allow your personal opinions or convictions to guide your study, regardless of how strong they may be. Scripture must be your standard and guide.
Jesus calls us to breathe in the Word of God and then to step out in obedience. As we do this, our foundation is solid as we are standing on the Word of God. Scripture then is what informs our values and teaches us how to live.
Some of us have walked out of the grave but still identify as a corpse. You will never walk in full resurrection life if you still hold onto past life garments.
Leveraging all that we have for God’s greater purpose is about realizing that all we have has been entrusted to us by God so we can play a part in his redemptive story for this world and my life.
God is always speaking! Take some time to ask the Holy Spirit what He wants to say to you today.
The manifestation of the Spirit is when the abilities and attributes of Jesus are supernaturally revealed and released through believers for the good of others. Being filled with the Spirit is a moment-by-moment surrender to the prompting, presence, power, and persuasion of the Spirit, which leads to deep pleasure, peace, perspective, and possibilities in the Spirit.
God's Spirit which is His personal presence is what created the world.
The world was created for one thing. For God to be with us.
God's Spirit which is His personal presence is what empowered His people to create the tabernacle.
The tabernacle was created for one thing. For God to be with His people.
God's Spirit which is His personal presence now dwells in us and moves us to obey Him.
Believers in Jesus is where God now dwells. God's personal presence is with us.
“Fruit is always the miraculous, the created; it is never the result of willing, but always a growth. The fruit of the Spirit is a gift of God, and only He can produce it. They who bear it know as little about it as the tree knows of its fruit. They know only the power of Him on whom their life depends.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
Living is activated when our “Believed Realm” is greater than our “Perceived Reality”. Don’t let what you perceive outweigh what you believe!
The desire in humility is to become like Jesus in his willingness to choose the hidden way of love rather than the way of power. What is the way of love? How is that different than the way of power?
Alignment, soul-searching, forgiveness, repentance, as well as a joyful day of celebration, looking forward to God's goodness and mercy in the New Year.
The gift of prophecy is the divine strength or ability to communicate God’s truth and heart in a way that calls people to a right relationship with God and encourages and edifies the Church.
Wonder: "A feeling of surprise mingled with awe and admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable."
Giving God the top spot in our hearts, minds, and lives allows us to witness and become conduits of his glory.
1.2 million young people left the church last year. This isn't a youth group problem. This is a church problem.
A family that serves God on his mission, changing the lives they touch as well as their own. As families pray together, discuss God’s Word together, serve together, and love a broken world together, it empowers them to live out their faith and rhythms side by side.
In the Book of Acts, Jesus' followers started identifying each other as brothers and sisters. After the Book of Acts, they no longer referred to each other as disciples.
That is the language of family. God has called us to be family. We are part of His household.
We are citizens of the Kingdom of heaven. That means we have the DNA, the essence, and the values of the Kingdom of God. When we gather as God's people, as family, it expresses something distinct, separate, and unique. We become a reflection of what family looks like in heaven.
When we carry each other's burdens, love each other, and work through reconciliation, we look different from the world.
We live from the ecosystem of heaven.
That is what it means to be part of the household of God.
Covenant community is a group of people who seek to live out their faith together in devotion to the ways of Jesus.
If we realized who God made us, what God gives us, and how God empowers us, our lives would become radically enhanced and the world would be radically enriched.
Community is meant to be the supernatural ecosystem for the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of Christ in our lives.
We are created for community, fashioned for fellowship, and formed for a family, and none of us can fulfill God’s purposes by ourselves.
The enemy’s plan is to cause deception, division, and depersonalization. When we speak ill of a party, system, city, or group, we allow the enemy to separate us from a very important commandment, "Love thy neighbor.”
Did you know? Scriptures that reference the Second Coming of Jesus outnumber scriptures that reference his First Coming by 8 to 1. Scholars have identified 1,845 different biblical references to the Second Coming of Jesus.
Jesus’ Humility is Bolder than _____ Jesus’ Authority is Higher than _____ Jesus’ Power is Greater than _____ Jesus’ Compassion is Deeper than _____ Jesus’ Love is Fiercer than _____ Jesus’ Presence is Closer than _____
Do you grieve missing out on what God is doing today? Are you missing out on something God wants for you? What distracts you from hearing God’s voice?
There is something distinct in every generation! To habitat and have a presence means there is an opportunity to host the spirit of God uniquely - different than the generation before and after.
Leverage your heart, your assets, your network, your difficulties, and your story for the glory of Jesus and to advance the Kingdom of God in this world.
When we leverage all that we have for God’s greater purpose we begin to become aware of all the things that have been entrusted to us by God. It is within that awareness that we begin to play a greater part in his redemptive story for this world, for our families, our relationships, and even our own lives.
What is your passion? What makes your heart come alive with excitement? What burden do you carry? What life experience and perspective can your share? Use these things to advance the kingdom of God this week.
Remember, God uses unexpected encounters to lead unexpected people!
We are called to be a light. The light offends the darkness. We may offend at times, but let it be because we are walking in the light, not because we are being kind of jerky christians.
Think of prayer more about forming than as a formula. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Centering is when we seek to quiet scattered thoughts and desires in the stillness of Christ’s presence. Listening is waiting before the Lord in open attentiveness.
Aligning is about creating space in our schedules to meet with God, giving Him permission to search our hearts and minds for any thought, feeling, or motive that is out of alignment with all that He desires for us.
Being a person of faith does not mean we put our heads in the sand, it does mean that we engage with what is happening in the world with discernment and faith.
How are you reading God’s Word? Are you deeply, meditating - hagah? Or are you just trying to check off something on your to-do list? Being a disciple of Jesus is meditating on His Word.
The Bible is more than a how-to, self-help book. Breathing God’s Word is first about taking in a deep breath and inhaling all that He desires for us to take in. At the same time, His Word is not intended to just remain in us but that we would learn to exhale and breathe His words to those around us.
This week, during our Sunday services, we experienced community as it is modeled for us by Mike, Matt, and Jen.
Most believers live as passive, powerless, pointless, and paranoid instead of passionate, provocative, purposeful, and powerful!
“When we move past the curated Hallmark narratives of romantic pining over the past, we see that the longing is for the thing that those moments in time were ultimately pointing us towards: the hope that we can one day be united with God.” -Nate Mills
Since the inception of sin, the world has been living under the tyranny of evil. Since the inception of Jesus, the tyranny of evil is now living under the threat of the Messiah.
Jen spoke a powerful message about Living Differently in our broken world, and practicing hearing the voice of God! We had an intentional time of conversation with God, with some helpful questions leading us.
Self-preservation works for you in a surviving situation but works against you in a thriving situation. We were not called to die on hills but to die on crosses. One is fueled by self-love (ego) the other by Christ’s love (humility). We need more dying to Christ and less dying on hills.
Our Concern: To reach a broken and fragmented world Our Cause: To experience and express the essence of Jesus
Our Concern: To reach a broken and fragmented world Our Cause: To experience and express the essence of Jesus
Our Concern: To reach a broken and fragmented world Our Cause: To experience and express the essence of Jesus
Josh had an incredible message for us this morning on Praying for One Another. This week we are not doing discussion questions, but would encourage you to spend some time with your group, intentionally praying over each other. That can be in person, or via text/group chat like Josh suggested! And remember the emoji!
Josh also had us pray some pre-written prayers aloud for both Haiti and Afghanistan. Those prayers are written out below.
Three Reasons Why we Pray 1. Intimacy
Matthew 6:6 NLT But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
- Outcomes
Matthew 6:6 NLT But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
Matthew 26:39 NLT He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
- Heart change
Matthew 5:44 NIV But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
Your prayer may or may not change someone else, but it always changes you.
Three Reasons Why we Pray for One Another 1. Intimacy
Ephesians 2:18-19 NLT Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.
-
Outcomes
-
Heart change
Steps to Take Pray for one another Pray by yourself Pray by texting it to someone Pray for someone in a group gathering Pray for someone in person Pray for someone with big expectations Pray for God to give you a word for someone Pray for those who have persecuted you
Steps to Take Receive prayer from one another Send in prayer requests Text someone/group chat to pray Go receive prayer from the Prayer Team
Pray persistently for one another
Pray for Haiti God we believe you are close to the broken-hearted. And that you give strength to the weary. We come to you God to lift up the people in Haiti. Please be with the wounded and with those who are rescuing them. Comfort all those who are mourning and give them strength to continue on. We pray that they experience your presence as you watch over them. Bring them healing and give them hope. Amen.
Pray for Afghanistan God we believe you are a God of compassion and of justice. We know fear, and oppression break your heart. We ask for your peace and justice. Protect the people and your church in Afghanistan. We pray that the people persecuting others would meet you and turn from their ways. Please bring an end to this evil. You are the God of hope. So replace their fear with your hope God. Amen.
1 Peter 2:16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil
“True liberty is living as we should not as we please.” - Arthur Pink (paraphrased)
When it comes to identifying with Jesus there is an inward identifying with Jesus and an outward identifying with Jesus.
Music by Ikson (https://www.youtube.com/ikson)
Rule Determines Realm
Mark 12:13-15 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?”
Romans 16:17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.
The political theater is playing out in front of us and it’s a twisted game of seducing your allegiance
There is a difference between placing your vote and placing your hope
Nationalism: ideology based on the idea that the individual’s loyalty and devotion to the nation surpasses other individual or group interests
1 Peter 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Believers "must cultivate the mindset of exiles. What this does mainly is sober us up and wake us up so that we don't drift with the world” -John Piper
Jeremiah 17:5 NLT This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
1 Samuel 8:3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
1 Samuel 8:4,5 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
1 Samuel 8:6-8 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.”
1 Samuel 8:19,20 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
Luke 9:20 NLT Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”
Luke 9:21 Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was.
Luke 9:22 NLT “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”
John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
You can legislate morality but you cannot legislate heart transformation
1 John 3:4 …sin is lawlessness.
We need to be a Kingdom activator more than a political activist
Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.
John 16:8,9 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me
John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. Questions:
-
In whom are you putting your hope, your trust? Are you putting it in Jesus, in a leader, in a system, in yourself, etc?
-
Read 1 Samuel 8:3-22. What was the heart stance of the people? In what were they putting their hope? How did Samuel respond? How did God respond? What was the result? How do we sit in that same heart stance today? In what area of your life are you asking for a king?
There is a battle for: Peace Truth Hope Wisdom Remedy Biblical Justice Life Freedom Education Souls Church
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 1:4,5 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
If we are not careful, here are three tragic outcomes: We live defeated rather than victorious (POW/KIA) We live ineffective and not on mission (AWOL) We become spiritual traitors and join the enemy’s militia (Mutiny)
Matthew 12:30 NLT “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.”
Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
Matthew 16:14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Matthew 16:15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Messiah: Anointed One, King, and Deliverer
Who do you say I am? Who is Jesus to you?
We take Jesus’ Kingship lightly… Jesus is less a king and more a consideration
Philippians 3:18,19 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
His Kingship is bigger than our hardship
Deuteronomy 20:1-4 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
War - Milechamah = Lecham
Bread = Lechem
Battle (Lecham) = Bread (Lechem)
Exodus 14:13,14 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Exodus 15:2,3 “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a warrior”
Warrior - Lecham
Exodus 16:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.
Exodus 16:3 NLT …they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”
When Jesus is KING we put our hope in His FAITHFUL CHARACTER not in our FAMILIAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
Sermon Questions
Key verses to read: Romans 12:4-10 I Corinthians 12:4-11 Ephesians 4:7-16
Does the language of spiritual gifts scare you? Is there any of the spiritual gifts that make you feel uneasy?
What are the different ways the gifts are given to us?
Jen talked about us learning/practicing our gifts through service or study... which are you more comfortable with? Which one is challenging for you?
Key thoughts: -Jen mentioned our gift to the world is for people to see us living and walking in our gifts! -Gifts are to be played out in partnership with God!
Modernity: • It emphasized the rejection of tradition and the prioritization of individualism • Rejection of Supernatural for the Natural • Human achievements are the solution to our future
Post-Modernity: • A reaction to the optimism of modernity filed by a skepticism of truth and concrete conclusions • A desire to deconstruct paradigms that didn't fulfill their promises • Truth is no longer objective but subjective
Today’s Identity Problem: • The truth of who we are is no longer established for us, but we must establish that for ourselves • For this reason we become concerned with constructing a ‘Narrative of Self’ so we can convince ourselves we have a stable Identity • Consumerism and social technology provides consumers with the symbolic resources with which to (re)construct their identities • This “Supermarket Self” is both a source of exhilaration (we are free to construct ourselves) and anxiety (we really don’t know who we are at the deepest level) • The people we value most have the most control over our Identity.
Revival: A fresh experience of spiritual outpouring by the Holy Spirit among Jesus followers which manifests in: A renewed hunger and passion for Gods presence and His Word, a shaking out of spiritual complacency, a desire for holy Living, a bold ambition to reach the lost, a deeper love for one another, an intensity in prayer and worship, a breakout of signs and wonders, an expression of generosity and social justice (Mike Tatlock)
Worship Set List: Here For You (Jesse Reeves, Matt Maher, Matt Redman & Tim Wanstall) Who You Say I Am (Ben Fielding & Reuben Morgan) Faithful To The End (Brian Johnson, Hannah McClure, Joel Taylor & Paul McClure)
Worship Songs: The Lion and The Lamb by Bethel Music O Praise the Name (Anástasis) by Hillsong Worship Where You Are by Bethel Music
To experience and express the essence of Jesus Christ. That's our cause. Our who is Jesus and our how is the Holy Spirit.
Brad challenges us on the dangers of folly and how God invites us into wisdom to overcome all forms of folly.
This week Mike teaches on the role of comfort in the life of a believer. Embracing the tension between God's call for us to steward comfort well and the pitfalls of becoming too comfortable.
This morning, Milo preaches on overcoming oppression and the convictions of someone who lives as an overcomer.
This week Pastor Mike continues his "Overcoming Giants" message with a powerful word on how we can overcome the giants we face in our lives.
Sometimes we have giants in our lives that are blocking our view. This week Mike looks at the story of David and Goliath and how we can use the story to overcome giants that we face.
In this teaching Pastor Brad looking anger and the tension that lies between suppression and passivity vs. aggression and hostility.
In this teaching Scott Burns looks at intimacy and commitment and the way they interact with one another. How to live within the different tensions of the Christian life.
Overcoming is fought more between the ears then the muscles. Pastor Mike looks at what it means to overcoming thoughts with the word of God.
In this teaching Pastor Mike concludes May Justice Reign with looking at the types of justice around us.
In this teaching Jake looks at worship and Justice and how we can love and serve the vulnerable.
Pastor Jake opens up May Justice Reign with a message looking at a definition of Biblical justice.
New can bless…but Next can burden. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at a theology of new.
Many of us don't gain victory during the day because we didn't gain victory during the night. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at a theology of Rest.
Servanthood is about posture. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at what it means to live a lifestyle or service.
We all want to live a flourishing life. We all have a longing to be whole, happy, healthy, full of joy, experiencing love and success. In this teaching Pastor Scott looks at rhythms and how the play an important role for a believer.
Money is a spiritual issue more than a financial issue. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at finances and the way we can live a life of generosity.
In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at seasons and the way the play a pivotal role in the life of a believer.
Pastor Jake challenges us to walk in the power and authority we have as a result of our position in Christ
Forgiveness is a transaction by which I release someone of a debt. In this teaching Bill Perkins looks at the Word and how forgiveness has an impact on the lives of ourselves and others.
We hear so much noise in our life which prevents us from hearing the Spirit. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at how we can can tune into God in order to hear his voice.
Your flesh—your impulses toward sin—will sabotage your thriving in life. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at what it means to walk in the spirit in fighting the flesh.
In this message Scott "reintroduces" use to God the Father by examining the complexity of the Hebrew word "hesed" in order to understand the richness of the faithful love off our Father for his children.
A Jesus-centric life is to experience and express the essence of Jesus. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks what it means to say yes to Jesus.
In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at what it means to rediscover who we are in Jesus though being refreshed.
This seminar helps shift your perspective as you approach Scripture in order to help you engage the Scriptures from a healthy place.
We often settle for the wilderness, but God wants us to have a garden like experience. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at what it means to thrive in your relationship with God.
In this message Pastor Scott looks at Mary's role in the christmas story to recapture the sense of awe and wonder and to see how our lives can be used to magnify God
In this teaching Pastor Jake looks at various passages about the coming of Jesus and asking the question how do we respond to awe and wonder.
Pastor Mike introduces our Advent series Awe & Wonder. He calls us to recover a sense of awe & wonder as we live out our faith, particularly as we enter into the Christmas season.
What is our "mind" and what does it mean to be "transformed by the renewing of our minds." In this teaching Pastor Brad looks at various passages from the scriptures on how changing our thinking.
Unity is proactive not passive. In the wake of divisiveness, the church is called to "make every effort" to live in unity; a unity built upon Jesus and pursuing Kingdom Values Together.
The heart is the center of your being. The center of your affections, values, desires and will. In this teaching Pastor Mike continues teaching on the heart.
What you dwell on you feed, your thoughts will either nurture your heart or poison it. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at your heart and how it impacts all.
Strongholds can have the ability to keep us captive. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at strongholds and how we can experience freedom!
In this message Mike Tatlock talks about how character is formed in each one us and that the Holy Spirit is the cause of our character formation. Mike shares three things that God uses to shape character in us: Scripture (clarity), Struggles (conflict), and Supporters (community).
As Christians, we are supposed to resemble the character of Christ and to display this to the world around us.
Most of us are aware of a handful of ways that we fall short of the character of Christ. Many of us have invested lots of time and frustration into trying to break free of behaviors and patterns that don't represent Jesus.
To cultivate Christ like character we need a vision, plan, and repetition.
We often allow our experiences to define us, when we are supposed to be defined by the truths of God's Word. This message looks at what it means to place your Identity in Jesus.
God's portion comes through a breakthrough. In this teaching Pastor Mike continues with part two on God's portion.
What are you pursuing? In this teaching pastor mike digs deeper into Vertical_Pursuit and looking at the core of who we are.
We are designed for relationships. In this teaching Pastor Scott looks at the role of community in our lives and why it's an important part of the church.
Earnestly and desperately we pursue God. In this opening teaching of the series “Vertical_Pursuit”, Pastor Mike looks at what it means to live a life of pursuit towards the Father in everything we do.
Evil systems are around us. In this teaching pastor Mike continues part two on God Waking Us Up.
In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at what it means to have discernment in the world around us as we interact with the world.
Healing is more then wellness, but wholeness. In this teaching pastor Mike looks at being a place of healing for others.
The only thing standing between you and God is the measure of trust you put in Him. In this teaching Pastor Milo concludes part 2 of trusting God.
Are you living a life that aims to please God or trust God? In this teaching pastor Milo looks at trusting God in all circumstances.
In this teaching, Scott gives us an overview of a concept that isn’t often discussed in churches, it’s an aspect of our lives that we work hard to ignore: our weakness.
God is a good good Father who protects his children. Though His protection doesn’t always look the way we think it might (or should), as we choose to put our faith in His protection our lives will be marked by peace.
In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at Luke 15 and the parable of the lost sheep and our relationship with the father.
A good father loves to give good gifts. In the teaching Pastor Mike looks at gifts and how the father wants to bless us.
In this teaching pastor Mike opens the series Good Good Father by looking our relationship with our Earthly and Heavenly father.
Kingdom Justice is awe inspiring. In this teaching Pastor Jake wraps up our May Justice Reign series looking at how we as believers, can be bold and extend justice to all.
What do you do with what God has given you? In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at leveraging and how we can use what God has given us for the kingdom.
Kingdom Justice is empowered by the Holy Spirit and equipped by His Gifts. In this teaching Pastor Jake looks at Kingdom Justice and how Kingdom Justice is the heart of God.
Your faith and expectation determine his visitation. In this teaching Bill Perkins looks at what it means to have expectations in our relationship with God.
The gospel is not just being saved from something but being saved to something. In this teaching pastor Mike looks at the gospel and role it plays in our life.
Healing is not what God does but who He is. In this teaching Pastor Mike continues last week’s teaching on healing.
God is a God who wants to heal. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at healing and how we can be church that is a place to experience healing.
We must endure hardship to enter the Kingdom of God. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at hardship and how we can walk through difficult times.
A kingdom marriage is a supernatural spirit filled marriage. In this teaching Pastor Mike continues to look at kingdom marriage.
What is a kingdom marriage? In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at the kingdom through the lens of marriage.
Jesus fills the gap between your faith and the faith needed to accomplish the impossible. In this teaching author Bill Perkins looks at living as Jesus did.
How are you running the race in front of you today? In this teaching pastor Milo looks at focusing as we run the race.
We all desire and long for community. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at kingdom community and how to live that out in our lives.
In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at power and authority and how to walk in light of power and authority.
In this teaching pastor Mike looks at what it means to be a citizen of God's kingdom and how to live that out in the world around us.
In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at kingdom of God and how we daily walk with God in all we do.
In this teaching Pastor Mike wraps up the Spirit of Christmas series with looking at what happened a few days following the birth of Jesus.
God wants to work through messy people and wants to reveal himself to messy people. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at what it means to walk in the prophetic.
What blessing has God filled your life with? In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at what it means to live a life of blessing.
In the second teaching of The Spirit of Christmas, Pastor Milo looks at the life of John coming into the world to prepare the way for others to experience the Gospel.
Pastor Mike wraps up the Holy Spirit series with a teaching on what is means to walk with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Deep inside we want more of the Holy Spirit. In this teaching pastor Mike looks at what is means to walk in the power of the Spirit in our daily lives.
What is the most unbelievable promise Jesus ever made? In this teaching, Bill Perkins looks at what it means to walk in the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit dwells in us. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at how the Spirit can dwell in our hearts and lives.
In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at three different stories about grace and the Holy Spirit is at work in the lives of those who have hurt us, just as much as he is working in us.
What areas in your life feel like a mountain that you are trying to summit? In this teaching pastor Mike looks at transformation and what the Spirit wants to do in our hearts.
A Study of the Book of Revelation Our study of Revelation will not be an ‘overview’, but an exegetical study, verse-by-verse. The goal is not simply to acquaint people with Revelation in a general way, but to cover it thoroughly enough that the student will have a detailed understanding of both Revelation itself as well as many of the current day implications of these prophetic writings.
The class will be taught by Dennis Holmes, the statewide Director of Prison Chaplaincy for the Oregon Department of Corrections. Dennis has a MA in Theology and 40 years’ experience in teaching with an emphasis on the Pauline epistles and eschatology.
God did the extraordinary. In this teaching pastor Milo looks at Acts 19:1-9 on the diety of the Holy Spirit
Do you want to have a friendship with God? In this teaching pastor Mike looks at the various symbols the Bible uses to describe the Holy Spirit.
We are spiritually dehydrated. In the opening of the series Holy Spirit, pastor Mike looks at the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
In the last teaching of the series One Another, pastor Mike looks at how we can honor one another.
What does it mean to have Christ dwell in us? In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at Colossians 3:16 and how we can teach one another.
Confessing sin is less about overcoming the urge to suppress, and more about surrendering to the desire to be whole & healed. In this teaching Pastor Brad looks at James 5:13 and power of confessions has on our lives.
Our greeting has the power to remind, affirm, remove and reveal. In this teaching pastor Milo looks at what it means to greet those around us.
Encouraging others can be the catalyst to unleashing their greatness. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at how we can encourage one another.
Envy = Desire + Resentment. In this teaching Pastor Mike talks about the effect envy has on our persecutive and relationships
How many of us wrestle with complaining and grumbling? In this teaching pastor Mike looks at grumbling and how we strive to live a life without complaining.
It's not about you. In this teaching pastor Jordan looks at what it means to live pride free and walk in humility.
Teach is to instruct with moral implication and admonish is to warn with moral implication. In this teaching Pastor Milo looks at teaching and admonishing from Colossians 1.
How do we bear with one another? In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at what is means to bear with one another and to extend grace.
Forgiveness is not letting others go from responsibility, it’s letting me go from the trap of offense. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at what it means to forgive one another.
Can we astonish the world? In this teaching Pastor Milo looks at what it means to have a heart of a servant to serve one another.
Love is our trademark. In this teaching Pastor Mike opens the series One Another with looking at the topic of love and our role to love those around us.
True compassion will always lead to action. In this teaching Pastor Jake wraps up May Justice Reign with looking at the feeding of the 5,000.
We serve God by advocating for others. In this teaching Pastor Jake looks at advocacy and how we can play a role in being an advocate for others.
We often tend to look and read the scriptures through our own lens. In this teaching Leroy Barber looks at Matthew 15 and how we can learn from the outsider.
Courageous kindness is risking your heart to do what is difficult for the sake of others. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at kindness and how we can extend kindness to those around us.
Jesus demonstrated mercy in all He did. How can we as believers demonstrate mercy to those around us? In this teaching, Pastor Jake teaches on Mercy and how we can do more then merely saying nice things.
What is fear preventing you from doing? In this teaching, Pastor Mike looks at fear and how it can impact our life.
Breaking addiction involves taking the first step. In this teaching Pastor Brad looks at addictions and how we can break free from them with the help of the Spirit.
Every veil wants to be lifted. In this message Pastor Mike teaches what it means to live in freedom.
When Jesus died people lost hope. Those who loved Him and were with Him everyday felt as if their hope for freedom and healing died with Him on the cross. But when Jesus raised from the dead, Hope returned. He continues to be our hope!
Does God have a permanent residence in your heart? In this teaching Pastor Milo looks at hope in light of Easter.
How are we to go about walking as believers in light of tongues, prophecy, healing and miracles? In this teaching Pastor Mike walks the church through what it looks like to walk with the Spirit.
Are you giving God the ability to unleash his spirit on your life. In This teaching Pastor Mike looks deeper into what it means to walk in the spirit.
Each of us faces the potential of a life defined by freedom or a life defined by bondage. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at a freedom and how God wants us to be free.
Each of us faces the potential of a life defined by freedom or a life defined by bondage. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at a freedom and how God wants us to be free.
Seasons of aligning always asks this question; what is God asking of me right now? In this teaching, Pastor Mike continues from last week’s message Seasons of the Supernatural and how those seasons can impact our lives.
We experience the supernatural in seasons. In this teaching, Pastor Mike looks at the life of Elijah and how we as believers, can experience the supernatural.
Paul instructs believers to not be outwitted by the enemy’s schemes. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at the spiritual realm and how we can stand against the schemes of the enemy.
Paul instructs believers to not be outwitted by the enemy’s schemes. In this teaching Pastor Mike looks at the spiritual realm and how we can stand against the schemes of the enemy.
The supernatural is for Gods glory. In this teaching Pastor Milo looks at obedience and how God calls us to respond.
The end game is God gets all the glory. In this teaching Pastor Mike continues the series Supernatural and what it means to see God show up without limits.
Little faith limits God and small faith liberates God. In this teaching Pastor Mike teaches about growing our faith so we can fully trust God in all that we do.
Sometimes we run low on faith and settle on pragmatism. In this teaching pastor Mike opens up the series Supernatural with a teaching on the collision of faith and the supernatural.
As Pastor Milo concludes the series Nativity, he ends the year with a question; what areas in your life do you need to draw closer to Jesus?
What fuels and extinguishes our relentlessness? In this teaching pastor Mike teaches through Philippians 3 on what fuels our pursuit of Jesus.
What do you often find yourself pondering? In this teaching Pastor Mike teaches from Luke on pondering Gods glory coming to earth.
Jesus came from a genealogy that included much brokenness and scandal. In this teaching, pastor Mike teaches from various passages on brokenness, scandal and how much good can come from brokenness.
We can have three common reactions to joy: Fake, Force or Divorce. In this teaching, Pastor Mat teaches from Luke 2 about Joy and Forgiveness.
What area of your spiritual life is a rotting corpse on the verge of decay? In the concluding teaching from the series Rekindle, pastor Mike teaches from Ezekiel on igniting a flame inside us.
How is your heart aligned to God? In this sermon, pastor Milo teaches through the Lord’s prayer on how we can be aligned with who God is.
God uses our compassion to literally save lives. In this sermon, Pastor Mike teaches about the role of a believer stepping into the misery and margins.
Rekindle happens when God’s perfect work happens through imperfect people. In this teaching Pastor Mike teaches from Esther about leveraging all that we have for him.
We can commonly identify with many different things on a daily basis. In this teaching, pastor Mike talks about the rhythm of identity and the importance of identifying with Jesus.
Worship is to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission. In this teaching, pastor Mike teaches about a theology of worship and how worship can be lived out in our daily lives.
Spiritual development is much like human development. In this teaching Pastor Brad teaches on the rhythm of nurturing and how we can grow closer to Christ.
Breathing is reading the word of God and exhaling is putting into application what we read. In this teaching Pastor Mike teaches about the word and the role is plays in our life.
Community happens when we have shared conviction, candid conversation and consistent engagement. In this teaching Pastor Milo shares how we can have a place where we can belong and experience community.
Dying happens through denying and sacrificing, living happens when we walk by the spirit. In this teaching Pastor Mike teaches about dying to ourselves so we can live fully for Jesus.
Rekindle: To excite, stir up, or rouse anew, to cause to begin burring again; ignite again. In this teaching pastor mike opens up the series Rekindle.
How can we love the gay community? In this teaching Pastor mike invites Brad Harper and Drew to share on their experiences and answer some questions about homosexuality.
God created sex and gave it to us as a gift. Pastor Mike looks into a theology of sexuality and what our responsibility is in response.
The wrath of God is a struggling point for many. In the teaching Pastor Milo answers the question how is God full of wrath and Love?
There are many ideas in culture of what angels and demons look like. In this teaching Pastor Mat answers the questions what the deal with angels and demons.
Sovereignty of God and free will can raise many questions for believers. In this teaching Mike Tatlock addresses some questions around Sovereignty and free will.
Healing can be defined by supernatural power at work in the natural world. In this teaching Pastor Mike answers the question are miracles and healing for today.
Healing can be defined by supernatural power at work in the natural world. In this teaching Pastor Mike answers the question are miracles and healing for today.