Reach Church: Recent Episodes
Reach Church
Reach is a church family scattered across the Seattle area, with a mission to Be the Church, and Reach the City. We meet every Sunday in Kirkland, WA and online at reachchurch.cc
Pastor Bryan preaches from Acts 1 on the importance of the Holy Spirit. We can be active and busy, but still ineffective without His power. God has given each of us an assignment, and He also equips us with the authority and power needed to fulfill it. When God calls you, He equips you.
We had our very own Cornelius Pratt preach this morning on what it means to have a heart after God's own heart. Through the lives of Joseph, Caleb, and David, he showed that God is looking for people who remain faithful in private, fully follow Him, and are quick to repent and pursue His presence. When our hearts are surrendered to God's will above our own, He can use us to fulfill His purpose.
Pastor Alisha preaches on the power of God's presence, reminding us that our present situation only becomes more powerful than His presence when it has our focus. God's presence is never weaker—we simply fail to draw on what already belongs to us through Him.
How does a man after God's own heart become a man capable of exploitation, deception, and murder? David's story invites us to examine our own formation, our use of power, and the God who meets sinners with both truth and mercy.
Learn who the Holy Spirit is, why His arrival at Pentecost changed everything, and how God now dwells within His people through the Spirit. Discover how the fire of God brings power, conviction, healing, unity, and deeper intimacy with Jesus today.
The Tabernacle of David reveals a better way to relate to God— a cosmic shift from performance to grace, where His presence is central and open to all through Jesus. Jesus is inviting you to leave behind empty religion, and step into a life of bold, joyful nearness with God the Father.
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry publicly revealed Him as the Messiah and ultimate Prophet. Discover how Jesus’ fulfillment of centuries old prophecy with stunning precision serves as powerful evidence for who Jesus is—and why His identity still demands a response today.
After years of preparation in the wilderness, David is finally made king. But the most surprising thing about David's rise isn't the conquest or the crown; it's that he brings the same posture of dependence to his greatest victories as he did to his darkest seasons. In this message from 2 Samuel 5, we explore what it looks like to receive the fulfillment of God's promises without letting blessing replace trust.
This Sunday, we will open 1 Samuel 21-23 and take a look at David in the wilderness, on the run from Saul, and see how David models faith, trust, repentance, and worship in one of the hardest times in his life. We'll look at how we can learn from David and respond to life's toughest seasons, trusting that God is with us and redeeming every moment.
This message explores 1 Samuel chapter 25, where David—grieving, exhausted, and insulted—reaches the edge of his restraint and nearly does the very thing he swore he would never do. Through the courageous intervention of an Intercessor we see how humility receives rebuke, how God restrains us from destructive decisions, and how the Advocate meets us at the end of ourselves.
God promised David the throne. Saul is unstable, dangerous, and disqualified. David gets the opportunity to take the crown, but he chooses not to. How do we wait for what God promised without grabbing for it? How do we trust God even when we desire revenge?
Jonathan is a picture of Kingdom friendship: he gave up his throne so David could rise. This friendship points us to Jesus—the greater Jonathan—who left His throne to bring us into covenant with God the Father.
Comparison and envy are way more corrosive and dangerous than we think. We see this loud and clear in King Saul. This week, we dive into 1 Samuel 18-20 and see what it looks like when fear and insecurity run their course in the heart.
David and Goliath is not a story about trying harder or finding courage—it’s about God acting when His people cannot. David stands as a champion who fights for a fearful people and points beyond himself to Christ, the true Champion who wins the victory we could never win on our own.
When God sends Samuel to anoint Israel's next king, He passes over the impressive and the expected to choose an overlooked shepherd boy. This Sunday we'll meet the God who sees—not just your outward appearance, but your heart—and discover that His choice of the least likely king in 1 Samuel 16 points us to the reality that He has chosen you too.
Join us as we begin a new sermon series exploring one of the most prominent characters in the bible, David.
God created every person in His image to reflect His glory and live in relationship with Him, but sin has distorted this sacred design, leaving humanity captive to idolatry and self-worship. Jesus liberates us and progressively renews us to reflect God's character in how we love, serve, and worship—becoming truly free as we become what we were always meant to be.
Why does Reach exist? We exist to love and be loved by Jesus. And we’re inviting everyone to know Him, become like Him, and join Him as He makes all things new. In this message, we'll walk through each movement of this mission—exploring how Jesus' love for us overflows into invitation, transformation, and participation in His kingdom work in the Northwest and beyond.
What would it look like for the Northwest to look like Heaven?
This message casts a vision of God’s Kingdom—alive, advancing, and present—right where we live, and asks one defining question: Where do you want to see the Kingdom happen in 2026?
At the climax of human history, God arrives not with spectacle but with startling humility. Jesus is born into the ordinary rhythms of empire, travel, and obscurity—yet announced by angels and received by shepherds. This is the beginning of a story that honors the lowly, dignifies the overlooked, and reveals a God who comes down in personal, loving pursuit of his people.
Mary’s Magnificat is the first and most famous Christmas carol. But before she sings this song, Mary journeys from courage to worship, from submission to joy—and the catalyst is Spirit-filled community. This is the story of how two expectant women, filled with the Holy Spirit, announce the dawn of redemption in Jesus the Messiah.
The good news of Jesus begins with an angelic visit to an ordinary girl in an unremarkable town. But the message Mary received was nothing short of extraordinary; a profound proclamation that the King of Heaven is coming close.
As Advent begins, the silence of centuries is pierced when God meets an old priest and his barren wife in the middle of their deepest need. From this miracle emerges the first light of the coming Redeemer and a reminder that even in the waiting, God is already at work.
As we conclude our study of the Beatitudes, Jesus names the cost of peacemaking: persecution, misunderstanding, and resistance. Yet, He also promises a reward so glorious that it transforms suffering into joy. This Sunday, we'll discover what seems impossible: rejoicing in suffering, finding blessing in persecution, and experiencing the kingdom of God where we would least expect to find it.
Jesus meets us in the middle of our rebellion, exchanging our hostility for His perfect peace. Now His love empowers us to carry His shalom—God’s wholeness and restoration—into every place we go.
Matthew 5:8 is not a call to moral performance or behavior modification—it’s an invitation to simple devotion. It’s a continual turning of the heart—away from everything else, and toward Him, again and again.
We love keeping score. Culture says pay them back; Jesus says give them mercy. The kingdom runs on compassion - and we’re not just recipients of mercy, we’re carriers of it.
In a world that promises satisfaction through success, comfort, and achievement, Jesus offers something radically different: righteousness as a gift, not a goal. This Sunday, we'll discover how seeking God's kingdom leads to the only satisfaction that truly lasts—and why the more we're filled, the more we hunger for Jesus.
What if real power isn’t found in control, but in surrender? In this message, we explore how Jesus redefines meekness—not as weakness, but as strength harnessed by grace, like a mighty war horse responding to its rider’s touch. Discover how living under the Spirit’s control transforms frustration into peace and strength into purpose.
What if the Kingdom of God begins right where you feel most empty? Jesus calls the spiritually bankrupt and the brokenhearted not failures, but citizens. As we begin our series walking through the Beatitudes, we’ll discover that the good life begins in the least likely places.
God’s presence isn’t an impersonal force or a passing feeling. It’s Him. And our commitment to keep Jesus at the center hasn’t changed. As we wrap this series and step into a new season at Juanita High, we’ll turn our eyes to Him again and marvel at the wonder of His presence with us.
Since 2012, Reach has existed to “Be the Church and Reach the City” with the love of Jesus. As we conclude our season gathering at Northwest University, we consider again Jesus’ Great Commission to us, and take courage in the fact that our witness doesn't begin with our qualifications or with what we feel equipped to do, but with humble dependence on the presence of God.
God’s vision of family goes deeper than biology—it’s the very heartbeat of His Kingdom. In Christ we are adopted into God’s family, recipients of His healing, and entrusted with passing His covenant love to the next generation.
Evil is real, but it is not ultimate. In Ephesians 6, Paul calls the church not to fear, not to hate, and not to hide—but to stand firm in the strength of Christ. This is a call to lament honestly, see clearly, and live faithfully as salt and light in an evil day.
We sense that the Lord is inviting our church into greater dependence and simplicity in this season. As we kick off this new series, we’ll look to Psalm 127 as a call for our community to embrace humble dependence, partnership, and trust in His provision.
When life gives us “hard to believe” moments — healing, restored relationships, financial breakthrough — we can quietly lower our expectations and limit what we believe God can do.
This message explores how unbelief blocks blessing, why we set boundaries with God, and how to break free from them. We look at biblical examples, expose the roots like fear and disappointment, and discover how to move from limitation to full trust.
We live in a world of full of daily ruptures in relationship. Whereas rupture is common, repair is not. But if we can learn repair, these hurts can be transformative. They can deepen relational connection and emotional maturity. Jesus invites us on a mission of repairing ruptures continually.
Jesus concludes His greatest sermon with a stark choice between two builders—one wise, one foolish. The difference isn't in their appearance or even their religious activity, but in whether they actually do what Jesus says. Jesus challenges us to examine what we're truly building our lives upon and whether we're hearers only or doers of God's Word.
Jesus isn’t fooled by impressive words or spiritual performance. He looks for fruit. This week, we’ll hear His warning about false prophets, hollow religion, and the danger of building a life on appearances. But we’ll also discover His invitation to a deeper, truer kind of faith.
“Marked by Remembrance” is a call to return — not just in practice, but in heart. Drawing from the fatherly wisdom of Proverbs and the covenant promises of Psalm 103, this sermon reminds us that we are shaped by what we remember. God calls us to treasure His Word, hold fast to His commands, and never forget His benefits. He still forgives. He still heals. He still redeems. He still crowns. He still satisfies. In a world eager to forget, may we be a people marked by remembrance — anchored in obedience and overflowing with praise.
As we enter the final stretch of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ words take on a sharper edge—marked by urgency and clarity. In his conclusion, he lays before us a series of warnings and tests that reveal the true cost of following him in the kingdom. This week in particular, we pay close attention to two gates and two paths before us: one that drifts toward destruction, and another that leads to life abundant. His invitation is simple: choose life… choose him.
Jesus is the only one who ever lived the Golden Rule perfectly—and He did it for us. We can only live it by looking to Him and letting His love reshape us. This isn’t about trying harder—it’s about moving closer.
As children in God’s Kingdom, we’re invited to live in the reality of how much more—where the Father’s heart is wide open to us. The Kingdom isn’t just coming; it’s here, and access to the Father is our present reality. Jesus invites us to ask, seek, and knock with shameless audacity—trusting Him again as a good Father and embracing our identity as His beloved kids. This isn’t just a redirection of our prayers, but a redirection of our hearts—an invitation into deeper intimacy with our Father.
Pastor Bryan continues his series in Joshua, preaching how making God our top priority starts in the heart—not just in words.And warns that when God isn’t first, idols—like careers, family, or self—take His place. Ultimately, choosing to put God first sets a powerful standard for our families, even when culture pulls in the opposite direction.
Pastor Bryan continues his series in the book of Joshua and preaches how God’s provision is never meant to be a place of permanent rest, but a reminder of His faithfulness along the journey. Provision should build our faith for what's next—not replace it. When we get too comfortable, we risk staying longer in places God only meant to be temporary. Pastor Bryan reminded us that obedience moves us forward, and our purpose is not just about securing our future but helping others discover theirs.
Pastor Bryan shares how missed opportunities often come from overanalyzing and letting fear or loss stall our faith. Drawing from Joshua 1:1–9, he reminds us that God's promises are greater than any setback and are found by those bold enough to take action. True strength and courage come from trusting God's direction, even when the path isn't clear.
In this special Church At Home message, our staff shares a heartfelt conversation about what it means to serve—not from a place of personal strength but through surrender. They discuss how God works powerfully through our weaknesses and invite us to trust Him more deeply.
Our special guest speaker, Cornelius Pratt, preaches on the power of our words and how what we say builds our world.
In her sermon “Don’t Stop on Stuck,” Pastor Alisha draws from John 5:39 to encourage us not to let old mindsets, fear, or disappointment keep us from the healing and breakthrough God has for us. Using the story of the man who waited 38 years by the pool, she highlights how being stuck isn’t just physical—it can be mental and spiritual. Jesus' command to “get up” is a challenge to shift perspective, take action, and trust that healing doesn’t always come the way we expect. The message urges believers to move forward in faith and not settle in a place God is calling them to leave.
Pastor Bryan wraps up his series on identity and preaches from the Book of Daniel, explaining that you have to know who you are before people try to make you who they want you to be.
Pastor Bryan continues his series on identity and preaches how your identity takes on the shape of your greatest influences.
Pastor Bryan preaches this Easter Sunday on the power of the cross and resurrection that gives Jesus the power to meet us where we are and not leave us in our sins.
Pastor Bryan continues his series on identity and talks about how comparison will get you to compete with people you should be celebrating.
Pastor Bryan continues his series on identity and preaches how identity is lived out through the acceptance of your uniqueness.
Pastor Bryan preaches on identity and how it reflects the nature of God's design and how if we take time to know God, we can fully know ourselves.
Pastor Alisha preaches on identity and how your ability cannot be measured by the “idea” of who you think you are.
Pastor Bryan preaches how we often settle in life for good when God wants so much more for us. He talks about how good blinds us from what needs to change within us.
Pastor Bryan preaches on purpose and how you have purpose in you, but it's significant when it comes out of you.
Pastor Bryan wraps up his series on suffering and preaches how suffering brings out the authenticity of our faith.
Pastor Bryan finishes up his series on suffering and teaches how suffering for Jesus invites him into our trial.
Pastor Bryan continues his series on suffering and preaches how suffering will reveal your humanity, but it also reveals God's supremacy.
Pastor Bryan preaches on suffering and how embracing it gives us strength when the enemy comes to deceive us from our calling.
Genesis wraps up with a poignant dual farewell: the deaths of Jacob and Joseph. Joseph’s final words illuminate the book’s central theme — an exploration of who God is and who we are in relation to Him.
In Jacob's last words to his sons, Jesus reveals his unearned grace in an unexpected way. Whether we're wrestling with past mistakes like Judah or enduring trials like Joseph—we can be confident Jesus is at the center of it making all things new.
At the end of his life, Jacob reflects upon the grace of God, and he passes the baton to the next generation. The man who once wrestled with God is now utterly dependent on the grace of God, and he shows us how to receive the blessing of the Gospel to be a blessing to all.
As Israel steps out of the covenant land into a foreign land, this is not an interruption of the covenant, but an advancement of it. Even here, we will find God’s people extending his blessing to the nations.
Pastor Bryan teaches that your true potential lies not in what you hold onto, but in what you release.
Pastor Bryan preaches that your trust in God is an invitation to be stretched beyond your current capacity of trust.
Pastor Bryan continues his series on trusting God, discussing how we often seek safety and certainty. However, trusting God doesn't always feel safe. How can we place our faith in Him, leaning not on our own understanding, but relying on the one who never fails us?
Pastor Bryan continues his series on trusting God and discusses how failing to trust in Him means placing our faith in something that cannot lead us to where God can take us. He emphasizes that often, we are trusting the way we want, instead of how God is asking us to trust.
Christmas is much more than the birth of the Savior. It is about His arrival, His long awaited coming. It is, at the same time, the arrival of His full identity as the Prince of Peace. This was as profound a reality then, on that humble night in Bethlehem, as it is today.
Hope is a precious commodity in our world today. We are all longing for something (or someone) we can count on. As we venture into the Advent season, we’ll remember the hope of many before us; those who held on for the One who would make things right. Today, that same invitation into hope still stands for us.
It’s been a minute since Joseph’s original prophetic dreams as a kid. Now, as Master of all of Egypt, the only place that has food, Joseph’s betraying brothers come looking for help. In this dramatic story we see much about faith, forgiveness and family reconciliation.
Pastor Bryan preaches that you have a Kingdom assignment to love and uplift those around you. When you use harmful speech, you take God's rightful position as a judge into your own hands.
Pastor Bryan continues his series in James and dives into how your desires determine what you're most loyal to.
Pastor Alisha preaches on James 3 and how jealousy starts in the head but desires to live in your heart.
Pastor Bryan continues his series in James and preaches about the significance of our words and how our words have the power to access Heaven or Hell.
Pastor Bryan is continuing his series in James, sharing how people are transformed by our actions towards them, far more than by our words alone.
Pastor Bryan continues his series in James, focusing on how love allows you to see from a perspective that the world cannot.
We explore the question of discipleship both universally and contextually: what has always been true of Christ’s disciples, and what specifically shapes us at Reach? Our desire is to follow Jesus, become like him, and join him in his mission.
There is an unfortunate tendency in the Church to separate the Spirit of God and the Word of God. We take sides, form tribes, and categorize ourselves and others. But the Scriptures couldn’t be more clear: there is a wonderful harmony between Word and Spirit. Reach will seek more of Jesus by living in the fullness of both.
Pastor Bryan preaches how the only thing that changes your desires is what you choose to be devoted to. If you don’t change your devotions, you won’t change your desires.
Pastor Bryan preaches how our attitude sets the stage for how we view adversity when we face trials in our life.
Pastor Alisha See preaches on spiritual warfare and how you can’t win a supernatural battle using natural resources.
In Genesis 32, we encounter a pivotal moment in Jacob's life—a night of wrestling with God that would forever change his identity and destiny. As Jacob prepares to meet his estranged brother Esau, he finds himself alone, fearful, and uncertain. It is in this solitude that he engages in a mysterious and intense struggle with a divine figure.
Pastor Bryan preaches how things that we perceive as good are often the most dangerous to the passion and fire of our devotion to Christ.
Pastor Bryan preaches that what you value the most will be where you place your significance.
Running from a revengeful brother, armed with a dramatic vision of God, Jacob arrives in modern day Iraq. What was intended as a short stay becomes twenty years as Jacob gains a large family. Yet the seeds of deception the younger Jacob sowed are coming to ironic fruit as the new Patriarch and father of a tiny nation is humbled and changed.
Pastor Bryan preaches that our belief in God should create behaviors like those of God.
As Jacob flees for his life, God slows down the story to encounter Jacob and reveal the heavenly reality of His presence.
Pastor Alisha preaches out of 1 John 4 and dives into how love sets boundaries, not barriers.
Pastor Bryan preaches from 1 John 3 and discusses how your depth of devotion for God comes from your depth of understanding Christ's love for you!
As the twins (Jacob and Esau) are born, we see the generational impact of their family across 3 different stories of 1) A parent’s favoritism, 2) A grandfather’s faithfulness, and 3) A son’s weakness.
Pastor Bryan preaches that the war for your soul is won through devotion in your heart.
Pastor Bryan preaches how love lets the truth get close enough to change and transform you so it can transform people through you.
Pastor Bryan preaches how living in the light and visiting the light doesn’t produce the same results.
It’s a subject no one enjoys discussing but one that everyone knows personally. Suffering.
What does the reality of diverse kinds of suffering say about God? About His goodness? What do Job and David and Joseph and Daniel and Jesus have to say? But mostly, how do we walk closely with God in the midst of suffering?
These, and many other questions will be the main topics in this special lecture and prayer time.
Our special guest speaker, Dr. Gary Oliver, speaks about the differences between the world's happiness and God's sovereign joy.
Guest speaker Jennifer Davis teaches a message titled "Lean In To Rest" during the 10:45am service on Sunday, June 2nd, 2024.
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is heavy. It can be hard to comprehend the depths of the disease of sin. It can be hard to grapple with God’s righteous judgement of sin. And even still, we can see the compassion and mercy of God. Lot had an advocate. And so do we.
Our Guest Speaker Jason Roughton preaches how God desires a good gift from His children, one that is spotless, and one that is pure, and how does that look like in our own lives?
Pastor Alisha See preaches how shifts in the atmosphere happen in the spirit realm first.
Pastor Bryan preaches how our Christian life was designed not to be a saying faith but a living faith.
Waiting on the Lord is challenging. Sometimes when we are waiting on Him, we choose to take things into our own hands. This is certainly the case in the account of Abram, Sarai and Hagar. There is a cost to doing it our way. Even still, the Lord is faithful and near.
Pastor Bryan preaches that we will be consistent at the level of our discipline, not our desires.
Slowing down dramatically, we take a beat to examine Abram's encounter with the magnificent and mysterious Melchizedek, priest and king. A major psalm and a good portion of the book of Hebrews helps us connect this brief encounter to the person of Jesus. Even more, it equips us with powerful tools for relationship and ministry.
As both grow in wealth, Abram and Lot separate from one another, revealing what they both love most. Lot proves the fickle nature of putting money over God; Abram shows the freedom and blessing that come from loving God first.
As the nations begin to spread out after the Flood, we arrive at a minor hiccup in the story of humanity. But the story of Babel will reveal the ghastly potential for idolatry, which warrants God’s gracious intervention. As we conclude the first part of Genesis, we are left with a dire need for covenant — God revealing himself to humans who do not know him.
After the Ark, Noah encounters a Covenant-making and Covenant-keeping God. In this Creation-rich interaction we see a wealth of relevant, faith-building truth that lives as well today as it did millennia ago.
In the account of Noah and the flood, we must see that our God takes sin and rebellion seriously. And, we see His grace to preserve a remnant; ones who will recreate a community of worshippers from the wreckage.
A destructive cycle of rebellion and chaos follows Adam’s descendents. God continues to invite humanity to walk with Him and bring blessing into the world, but they continue to choose their own way, bringing us to the prelude to the flood. Yet God promises, even in rebellion, that a wounded victor will come to defeat Satan, sin, and death once and for all.
In Cain and Abel, we see two different heart postures in a setting of worship. As the disease of sin spreads — even in the midst of the most calloused and heartbreaking disobedience — God shows up as a shepherding father.
The rebellion of Eden is the most universally consequential event of human history. Yet, within God's gracious response, is the seed of His Solution - a Man that would conquer the Serpent and return us to the presence of God.
In a season that is a time to build, we’re introducing Deacons to Reach as servants called to meet tangible needs, organize and mobilize acts of service, and help preserve the unity of our church family.
After describing six glorious days of creation, Moses rewinds the tape and zooms in on the Creator’s most prized creation in the universe — humanity. You — yes, you reading this — possess infinite value, worth, dignity, honor and glory, far greater than the most magnificent nebula.
God rested after six days of indescribable activity. We will attempt a beautiful look at all seven of these days as described by Moses in the first chapter of Genesis. It promises to be an inspiring and humbling view.
We begin the new year with a look back at the old — the beginning of the Old Testament. Before we start our study of Genesis, we take a beat and set our hearts to awe and appreciate the whole story of God from the very first words to the last.
How are you going to follow Jesus in 2024? In a year where many voices will fight for your heart's focus — for your dollars, for your votes, for your attention on a screen — Jesus is saying to us, “Follow me.” A “yes” to him will be more than worth the cost.
Many of us have only learned one way to pray—petitioning God to do things for us. Join us on this Worship Sunday as we work through 5 different prayers & reflections of Examen, Lament, Gratitude, Repentance, & Rest.
Mary unfortunately has been a divisive figure in the church. Often too exalted or too dismissed, the young woman God chose was the closest anyone had ever gotten to God. She carried him. She nursed and cared for him. But before all of that she had to say Yes.
It’s rare for us to take a moment to put ourselves into the shoes of Jesus’ adoptive father, Joseph. But we could all learn something from his obedience and faithfulness.
Scores of generations had relationally and verbally passed along the prophecies and promises. The long awaited Messiah came, at the fullness of time, as gentle and quiet as a promise kept. Our Great and Glorious Savior still offers the same grace today, speaking quiet into the chaos.
God isn't after your wallet; He's after your heart. But when we attempt to withdraw the self-sacrifice required for stewardship and generosity, our hearts, often entangled in fear and greed, signal 'insufficient funds.' How can we learn to trust God completely and align our relationship to money with His desires? As Paul discusses financial collection within the church, we will discover our answer.
Paul shows us the wonder of Jesus’ resurrection, and what it ultimately means for those who bow to Him as Lord, God, and King.
Paul wants to make clear to his readers the gospel - that Jesus died for our sins, and was raised to life so we can live.
Dr. Gerry Breshears, a spiritual father to Reach and former elder, joins us to share a biblical study from 1st Corinthians 14 on our view of women, and their role in leadership in the church.
Scot Pollok shares a passion that has gripped his heart for almost 20 years — a view of the One Story of God’s revealed Word. Tracing word, picture, promise, covenant and prophecy from beginning to end, this special presentation reveals how unified, focused, interconnected and purposeful the whole of the Bible really is. Perhaps it will change the way you perceive the Scripture and encourage a brand new passion to engage it afresh.
We are loved by a God who has revealed Himself. He is not hiding. Creation itself sings of the Beauty and Brilliance of God in “general revelation.” But God has also given “special revelation” in a written Word.
Sixty-six books written in three languages, from three continents, by over 40 authors (most of whom never met) over a period of almost two millennia. The Bible. God’s Word. Holy Scripture.
Whatever you call it, this book is quintessentially unique among all human literature. Yet many sincere believers find it confusing, archaic, irrelevant and boring.
Our second and look at 1st Corinthians 14:20-33 reveals more layers of insightful application for the employment and deployment of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially within church gatherings, but not only.
We’ll look at the practical implications and applications of the gifts of God's Holy Spirit. We want God to be active among us, and He shares that desire in full perfection. Our role is to not get in the way of all the Father wants to do.
As Paul corrects the Corinthians in their ordering of the gifts, we see the wonder of the Holy Spirit. The gifts themselves are just more of Him, and He has come to bring strength, encouragement, and comfort to His people.
Love. It's weird that we speak of love in relation to other people, God and insignificant things like tacos. Has “love” lost its soul in our culture? After all, God is love. Paul might have wondered the same for Corinth and her young church. This Sunday we will attempt to scratch the surface of love as the binding agent to a diverse array of spiritual gifts in the local church.
As Paul lists some beautiful facets of the Holy Spirit's gifts of grace, we will survey all of the Spirit’s gifts mentioned in the New Testament. Together we’ll chart a course into joyful deployment of every gift in the church.
Like a master composer, God gifts and arranges every part of the body for the sake of communal flourishing — but pride threatens to destroy this beautiful purpose. The only remedy will be Christ-like love, honor and concern for one another.
Pastor Bryan preaches on hope, and how what you make the source of your hope, you make the solution!
Pastor Bryan See teaches a message titled "Endure It" during the 10:45am service on Sunday, August 20th, 2023. During this message, Pastor Bryan emphasizes the importance of vision and discipline in our every day lives. "If you can be talked out of your vision, did you even believe in it in the first place?"
Pastor Bryan preaches on vision and how if your vision involves God, it will require faith.
Our special guest speaker, Jennifer Davis, brings an amazing word on faith and what it means to trust God, even when stepping out into something you've never experienced.
Pastor Bryan preaches about Jonah and how, in our own lives, we tend to run from the plan God has for us. He also dives into some deeper motives Jonah had and how we must look at our motives when doing something for God.
Pastor Bryan preaches on the race we were called to run and how what gets brought on the journey determines the pace of it.
Pastor Alisha preaches on the book of Job and preaches how when life doesn’t feel stable, God is still steadfast.
Pastor Bryan finishes up his series on Holy Spirit and how what we are filled with becomes what we're influenced by.
Pastor Byran continues his series on Holy Spirit and preaches how Holy Spirit is inside of us to expose the condition of our hearts.
Pastor Bryan continues this series on Holy Spirit and preaches how the strength to face challenges is dependent on what you're filled with. He can be a Helper; if you let him.
Interim Teaching Pastor Scot Pollok shares responses to many questions that have been submitted in our series, including extended comments on this past Sunday's sermon, "Married Sex"
0:00 Extended comments on June 4 sermon from 1 Corinthians 7:1-7
14:29 Can you define "willful sin" as opposed to sinning and repenting?
17:18 If someone asks me to use specific pronouns, is it loving to do so or enabling?
20:05 What should a believer do if they are invited to a same sex wedding ceremony?
23:58 Can two believers truly become one flesh in marriage if one or both of them have a sexual past?
After two chapters of addressing specific problems and test cases, Paul now turns to the positive ideals of sex inside of marriage. His comments are still corrective, instructive, and serve to protect hearts and set people free today. And although his primary target is clearly married couples, there is within these short verses a powerful and liberating word for singles, a subset of the church family that is often forgotten and overlooked.
The Corinthian Christians believed that God cared deeply for the souls and spirits, but had no concern for their physical bodies. In Paul’s correction, we get a glimpse of the tremendous plans and purpose God has for our bodies.
Wrapped in a statement about God's Kingdom, Paul identifies a host of wayward paths that many of the Corinthians formerly walked. And this ancient collection of pointed statements, properly understood and applied, remains vital truth for us today. Three short verses of text will allow us to dive into a timely conversation that has existed for thousands of years. And rather than a one-sided tirade, we will keep it a conversation… with God Himself.
Interim Teaching Pastor Scot Pollok shares responses to many questions that have been submitted in our series, particularly in regards to this past Sunday's sermon, "The Truth About Change"
01:30 What version of bible does Scot use on Sundays?
02:55 Can someone who is single fully image God?
07:01 What about sincere Christians who willfully sin without conviction or repentance?
10:50 What is asked of those in a same sex marriage before they can become a Christian?
13:13 Can you offer some apologetic, relational and conversational help for talking with people who are hostile to Christians?
17:10 What do I do as a public school teacher when I am asked to present things against my beliefs?
20:57 Tell me more about the controversy around the Greek word for homosexual?
25:18 What about Jonathan and David's relationship in the Old Testament?
Few things are as desperately needed today as the recovery of the ancient practice of Sabbath — a full day, every week, set aside to stop, rest, delight, and worship.
Within Paul’s discussion of Sex and Sexuality — God’s Beautiful Gift — he drops a powerfully instructive and timely word on the distinctive of the local church that is perhaps the most dismissed, and at times the most abused. In doing so he builds on Jesus’ powerful words and offers a brilliant guide for the church’s response to church sin. And it’s way better than mere conflict resolution.
Pastor Bryan preaches how to let God redirect our passions and desires so that they align with his plans and not ours.
Pastor Bryan preaches how the world wants your loyalty because when it gets your loyalty, it gets your worship.
Pastor Bryan preaches about how the resurrection is the one thing that restores our faith!
Pastor Alisha preaches about how we try and carry things we were never meant to and how we tend to listen to the inner voices that try to protect us instead of letting God be the one who does.
Pastor Bryan preaches about limits. Some are our own holding us back, and others are an attack from the enemy. Pastor Bryan shows us how to distinguish between the two to live a life without anything holding us back from our purpose.
Pastor Bryan preaches how God takes the little you have and makes something more out of it. The only thing we have to ask ourselves is, will we hand it over?
Pastor Bryan preaches that our calling is not based on our strengths or weaknesses. It's based on our willingness.
PastorBran preaches how what seems like weakness in our own lives gives God the ability to show His strength.
Pastor Bryan and Alisha team preach on the importance of maintaining a healthy marriage.
We are more like the Corinthians than we might expect; especially in our unexamined promotion of beauty, eloquence, power and popularity. In this ancient but relevant text, Paul contrasts these values with the mysterious “depths of God,” revealing that God’s wisdom leads Him to wildly different pursuits and tactics. We would be wise and fulfilled to follow His lead in seeking true spiritual depth.
Pastor Bryan dives into the topic of friendships and how vital they are to our growth. He preaches how our relationships are only as reliable as a person’s character.
Pastor Bryan preaches that our body is the vehicle used to move us through life. So how we take care of it determines how far we go.
Pastor Bryan preaches how oftentimes we have questions that come against the nature of God, but instead of asking them and bringing them to God, we let them grow inside of us.
Our special guest speaker, Pastor Ricks Shelton, preaches how not to be discouraged, even when facing difficult times.
Pastor Bryan preaches how healing and clarity come from confronting things not running from them.
When we are reminded that we are not infinite, there are two things we must do — find greater hope, and live with greater purpose.
Pastor Bryan preaches that when we pray to God and don't get the response we want, we give up, or our perception of God changes due to things not happening when we want them to.
O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem, unto your own and rescue them! From depths of hell Your people save, and give them victory over the grave.
Pastor Bryan preaches how the Christmas story is God using ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.
Pastor Alisha's Mom is our guest speaker this Sunday! Christy Mitropoulos preaches about how the beliefs of our hearts will always drive our behavior.
Pastor Bryan preaches how we are a product of what’s allowed to be pruned in our lives.
Reach needs spiritual mothers and fathers who are confident in their true identity and willing to usher others into their their own.
Through his appeal to Philemon, Paul reflects the heart of the Gospel: a debt owed that could never be paid, Christ’s mercy in redeeming us of that debt, and the call to do likewise.
Pastor Bryan wraps up his series on hope. Today he talks about how our hope rises and falls on the source.
Pastor Bryna continues our Hopeology series and how the most important thing is what is anchoring our hope.
Pastor Bryan continues his series on hope. This week he talks about what we're putting our hope in. Is it things that are eternal or things that can easily perish?
Pastor Bryan preaches hope and how it leaves us frustrated and discouraged when it's in anything other than God. How do we put hope back into God and take it out of the world?
Pastor Bryan and Alisha preach how the greatest threat to your transformation is any area culture is trying to conform you.
Pastor Bryan preaches how culture gets us to neglect sowing into what actually has the power to transform us.
Pastor Bryan preaches about how culture is changed by the burdens God gives us. He shares how a burden will fuel and motivate you to believe there is something you can contribute to the kingdom.
Pastor Bryan preaches how God has called us to be priests; as priests, we are called to give, serve, worship, and contribute.
Pastor Bryan preaches about how the Babylonian culture we're living in has one purpose: to take over and re-form us.
Paul labored and suffered in his ministry to the Christians in Colossae because he longed for their spiritual maturity. We are invited to do the same.
Pastor Byran preaches on the world's culture and how saturated we tend to be in it versus the kingdom's culture. He talks about how holiness will create separation from the world while giving us a love for the world.
The supremacy of Jesus over both the cosmos as well as his people, should result in his sufficiency. His preeminence is just a mere theological concept, unless it confronts our idolatries.
Our guest speaker Jennifer Davis preaches about how to have sustainable joy through disappointment and discouragement.
Pastor Bryan preaches how the only parts of us that get developed are the areas we allow God in to transform us.
As Christians increase in knowledge of God, their lives will be marked by discipleship to him based on their identity in him.
(Our apologies for the audio issues in this week's recording.)
Guest speaker Jason Roughton preaches about what kind of sacrifice God is looking for from us.
The Gospel produces faith in Christ, love for our neighbors, and hope for eternity.
(Our apologies for the audio issues in this week's recording.)
Pastor Bryan preaches how a life surrendered to God doesn’t entertain voices that resist God.
There’s a difference between knowing something and having wisdom for how to apply what you know. Knowledge is about obtaining information, but wisdom knows how to use it. This week, Pastor Sean from Reach Everett will unpacked James 1:5-8 and talked us through how we can seek wisdom and find it in God.
(Our apologies for the audio issues in this week's recording.)
Pastor Bryan preaches that we should seek God first in everything and not try to build our life and schedule around God to try to fit him in.
Pastor Bryan preaches how God can take our ordinary lives and do extraordinary things if we follow his guidance and plans.
What is spiritual warfare? What do we do when the influence of evil seems overpowering? Dr. Gerry Breshears gives us powerful biblical truth about how to have practical spiritual authority over darkness.
Every believer in Jesus Christ has been given spiritual gifts by the Father. These gifts are unique, Spirit-supplied abilities, filled with Divine power, intended to support and build up the Church to fully accomplish its mission in the world.
Pastor Bryan preaches how the safest environment will always be the will of God regardless of the conditions or risk.
Our special guest speaker Jennifer Davis preaches a powerful word about how love is unconditional and limitless, and so is forgiveness.
Our special guest speaker Jason Roughton preaches on how to find the rest we need in our life.
Pastor Alisha preaches how you can’t live in the future when you’re listening to your past.
Even when we may endlessly pour into others, let's discover how God's true posture towards us brings true healing.
Pastor Bryan preaches how drifting will convince you to create a god rather than search to find God.
In the midst of a reactive-world, Jesus models how we might practice “a non-anxious presence.”
Pastor Bryan preaches how coasting and drifting both leads you away from purpose, allowing circumstances to be the influence that guides you instead of God.
Pastor Brian McCormack shares ten lessons learned during the ten years since Reach was planted.
Pastor Bryan preaches how sin convinces you that you can do life alone, but God wants to walk alongside you through everything.
“Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God.” – Martin Luther
The King of Glory returns to Jerusalem, though not as the king the people wanted, but the one they needed - as the Passover Lamb.
Pastor Alisha dives into the importance of worship and how faith pushes us past our present condition.
It can be hard to place our foremost hope in the return of Jesus. Learning to await his second coming unlocks joy and confidence many of us have not experienced before.
In a culture of false narratives, Scripture provides the true and better story we all long for.
Pastor Bryan preaches how the condition of our heart influences the direction of our life.
Testimony goes up, out, and down. Telling the story of God's work in our lives glorifies Him, encourages and stirs up those around us, and directly confronts the kingdom of darkness.
God’s heart for the nations was introduced in Genesis, re-launched in Jesus, came to fruition in Acts, and culminates in Revelation. What’s our role in that mission today?
Pastor Bryan preaches on how sanctification gives the Spirit access to the hard areas of our heart.
God calls us to give him everything we have. Our dollars, and our days. As we learn to practice generosity, God multiplies it all for his glory, our joy, and the good of our city.
Pastor Bryan and Alisha team-teach how the potential of your marriage is based on the priority of it.
Prayer is an invitation to join Jesus who is already interceding for us. While it might be hard to believe that He still hears our prayers, He helps us in our unbelief!
Pastor Alisha preaches how what happens in your past doesn’t have to affect your present.
There is only one conclusion to make about a God who writes a story where his Spirit comes to dwell within — He is whole-heartedly committed to being near to you. And if He is always near, "hopeless" does not exist.
God calls his peoples to be witnesses of his marvelous kingdom — to be a light to the ends of the earth.
Pastor Bryan preaches how the potential in your spouse is developed by the support you give them.
Too many Christians are passionate about the Gospel, and excited about their church, but somewhere between confused and apathetic when it comes to the Kingdom. Some words straight from the King can remedy this problem.
Pastor Bryan preaches how conforming comes when we take control of our lives, and growth happens when we let God take control of our lives.
A dead historical figure has nothing to offer you. A God who is alive means there is always hope.
There is change waiting for those who have the humility to start (or start over) at the beginning. When we look at the beginning of God’s story, we find the foundations needed for building a life of joy and purpose.
Pastor Bryan preaches how our goal isn't for anyone other than Christ to find us acceptable.
In a world that is constantly vying for our attention and time, research shows that Christians are more stressed and anxious than ever. But Jesus invites us to slow and take his lifestyle instead.
Pastor Bryan preaches how division creates a place for the enemy to have a voice where God should.
What a way to kick off the new year with a new series: Dear Church.
Pastor Chad spoke about remembering that God is ALWAYS faithful, day in and day out!
Pastor Bryan preaches how God gives each of us a sign that gets our attention to get us to Him.
The good news brought great, unexpected joy of unexpected royalty to unexpected recipients, with an unexpected end to the story.
On the day of Christ's arrival, angels make their famous declaration; "Peace on earth." Experiencing the three aspects of this peace — with God, in the Church, and with all people — is the gift we long for.
Pastor Bryan preaches how the greatest danger to your purpose is looking at it from your perspective, and not God's.
The word ‘faith’ is widely used, despite lacking a universally agreed upon definition. Biblical faith has two essential ingredients — sincere belief, and obedient action. Focusing on the latter just might be the way out of the doubt you’ve been walking in.
In order for the Church to survive, we must stay humbly rooted in Scripture, remaining urgent and bold as we preach the Gospel, and doing it ALL with patience and humility.
We want his kingdom to come and his will to be done, in Seattle as it is in Heaven. When we use words to see this happen, we call it evangelism. When we use our deeds, we call it justice.
Pastor Alisha preaches how prayer doesn’t solve your problem, it shifts your perspective!
The Father is seeking worshipers who worship in spirit and in truth. Culture is bankrupt in spirit and in truth. When the will of God is aligned with the needs in our cities, there is profound opportunity. But before we can bring what is needed, we must first receive what we need.
Pastor Bryan preaches how Holy Spirit goes to war on anything that doesn’t fall in line with God's word!
Paul prescribes four things to his readers as he closes his letter to the Galatians he loves so much: Carry one another. Sow to the Spirit. Don't give up. Boast in the cross.
Every follower of Jesus will experience the paralyzing effect as the desires of our flesh battle with the desires of the Spirit. The answer is not trying harder; but tapping into a supernatural resource outside ourselves.
Our Reach Kids Academy Director Beka brought a message about surrendering to the Lord and watching your life go from ordinary to extraordinary!
The cross is offensive. You will be tempted to make it less offensive. Don’t — or you will empty it of its power.
Pastor Bryan preaches on what the breastplate of righteousness really means and how righteousness protects you when you feel like you deserve what the enemy may be attacking you with.
In contrast to much of our day and age, biblical Freedom is not living life without limits, always able to do whatever we want. Freedom is the ability to live within the commitment of love.
To hammer home his plea for us to live in the freedom Christ has provided for us, Paul uses some familiar Old Testament names to make an important point. When we make the effort to learn the stories behind the illustration, we might just find the healing we’ve been looking for.
Pastor Bryan continues the series 'The Invisible War', preaching how Satan fights in the environment, not against it.
(This sermon from "No Other Gospel" was preached on September 19th and was accidentally left unpublished.😊)
As strange as it sounds, people often give up freedom to go back to slavery. What should we do when people we love are doing this? And what's the proper response when you realize YOU are doing this very thing?
We used to be slaves. But God sent HIS son, so we could BE sons. Now we are heirs with an eternal inheritance, and the downpayment we get to enjoy NOW is the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Alisha preaches how in order to walk into your new season, you have to silence your last.
The purpose of the Law was to separate God's covenant people from the rest of world, to be a light to the nations through the promise of Abraham. Without understanding the Jewishness of Jesus, we rob ourselves of joy, create Gospel perversions, and rob God of His Glory.
Our guest speaker Jason Roughton preaches how religion looks on with criticism, but the kingdom responds with compassion!
To free us from the curse, Christ became a curse for us. Beneath the scandal of this concept is deep assurance, and a glimpse of two things God cares about far more than we realize.
When Paul first mentions the Holy Spirit in his letter to the Galatians, he makes foundational declarations for our understanding of God to rest upon. Chief among them: our god is a god of miracles, and our faith is either supernatural or superficial.
Justification is all about being declared righteous, and getting to enjoy complete acceptance from God and God’s people. The “cross-shaped” gospel is the good news that Jesus has torn down what used to divide us — from God, and from one another.
Hypocrisy is deeply hurtful, highly contagious, and a hindrance to the gospel. So, we take it seriously by giving and receiving loving correction as needed.
Pastor Bryan preaches how tradition will place an expectation on you that God isn’t requiring of you!
When false teachers and false gospels come after your freedom, don't submit for even a moment. Cling to the freedom you have in the grace of Christ.
Pastor Alisha preaches how if the enemy is seeking to devour, why aren’t we standing to defend?
“What has Jesus changed about your life? Where in your life do you see an ongoing need for change?” Paul’s dramatic-change reveals the true gospel. Meeting Jesus is the beginning of a slow, imperfect walk toward Jesus, until we see Him face-to-face.
Pastor Bryan preaches how God will give you enough to be reminded He is more than enough.
It's impossible to be a people-pleaser and a servant of Christ at the same time. The delight God wants for us is sabotaged when we seek the approval of people instead of resting in the approval that is already ours through the Gospel. Time for a heart check.
When Paul hears the churches in Galatia are being drawn away from the Gospel of grace, he channels his deep concern into a passionate plea to cling to the good news of Jesus. When voices distorting the Gospel rise up in our own lives, we must rise up as well.
Our guest speaker Jennifer preaches on the familiar story of Mary and Martha, with an insight you may have not seen before.
Our Youth Pastor Brayden kicked off our annual series Summer At Reach with an inspiring message of keeping God your source for all things!
Pastor Bryan preaches how your fight through the storm can be the freedom to someone else’s storm!
Jonathan Rainey, chaplain for the Seattle Seahawks and UW football team, joins us to bring a word on "The Church Seattle STILL Needs". In June of 2019, Jonathan delivered us a powerful message on the kind of church Seattle needs, encouraging and equipping Reach to play its role in what God is doing in Seattle.
Jeremy Vallerand tells the story of Reach's partnership with Rescue:Freedom, a non-profit he leads, focused on ending sex trafficking around the word. Then he shares how Jesus, through the Gospel, invites all of us to experience freedom from the oppression of sin in our lives.
Pastor Bryan preaches how life circumstances create the conditions of each of our hearts. God's word is given to help us, not hurt us.
Nick Shafto shares his final words to us as part of the Reach staff: legacy does not hang upon your ability to execute the extraordinary, but to be fiercely committed to the ordinary.
If you are passionate about people being saved, disciples being made, and cities being served, you should be passionate about church planting — whether you ever plant one yourself or not.
Pastor Bryan preaches on how God doesn’t wait for perfection before He calls you into purpose!
A large part of our vision is to be a church that serves our city. Not just one city, but every city where God has placed us. We are wildly committed to serving the hurting and marginalized, and we send people to do the same all around the world. You can expect Reach to be a place that consistently aims our arrows out, so we can be the church that our community actually needs.
Our guest speaker Jennifer preaches how the moment we realize we are seen by Him, we step into our purpose.
Worldly leadership seems to be all about commanding. In contrast, Biblical leaders lead by equipping, inspiring, empowering, unifying, exemplifying, caring, and overseeing. They teach, shepherd, correct, rebuke, encourage with great patience. Listen as Reach elder, Dr. Gerry Breshears, joins us to share about our vision to see leaders trained.
Our guest speaker Jason Roughton preaches how even when our faith is little, God's faithfulness is greater.
Pastor Alisha preaches how the enemy uses his voice to distract, God uses His voice to direct.
If there’s one thing that must be true of a faithful church, it’s that it must be a community where people learn to follow Jesus whole-heartedly. When Jesus commanded us to make disciples, it was for all of us, and it was for our joy.
We are committed to being a church where those far from God are brought into God’s family...all the time. To see people saved we must know why people need saving — and we must be aware of the habits and attitudes that will stand in our way.
The Apostle John decides the best way to close his masterpiece is to complete the story of Peter. As Jesus speaks into his life he also speaks into ours. As we finish over two years in this gospel we are reminded — these stories are just a glimpse of all Christ did, and is yet to do in the season to come.
For centuries, the Apostle Thomas has been known for his moment of doubt. A closer look at his place in scripture reveals a man of conviction worthy of imitation. May we doubt and believe like Thomas, and may we never reduce others to their biggest mistakes — for Jesus has not done so with us.
Pastor Bryan preaches on Holy Spirit and how the empowerment of Holy Spirit comes from your surrender to him!
We are a “both/and” church. And nowhere is this more essential than in our commitment to Spirit AND Truth. Our desire to share the gospel of forgiveness will amount to nothing if we are not walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
False narratives can be hard to shake — they must be replaced by a better story. When we humble ourselves, draw near, truly see the resurrected Jesus, and believe, that better story intersects with our own...and we are never the same.
This Good Friday we shared in a special time together as a number of different faces from the Reach family guided us through the Stations of the Cross, as we reflected and meditated on Jesus' sacrifice through scripture and song.
Pastor Bryan preaches how we will never be entrusted beyond our ability to steward what we have been given.
When Jesus is placed in the tomb, it seems like all hope is gone. But God does his best work in such times, and he uses minor characters to make major impact in the story of redemption.
No matter who you are, Jesus is better and the good news of his Gospel is greater than you could ever imagine. Pastor Brian McCormack recently spoke at Reach College Group, using a whiteboard to walk us through the 5S Gospel framework. You're going to want to watch the video with this one.
Our apologies for the audio issues.
Everything changes when you look at Jesus on the cross, and instead of seeing something offensive, you see rescue and love.
One of the last things Jesus says on the cross is “it is finished”. What does this mean? What was finished? Who was it for?
Pastor Bryan preaches how stewardship is living by faith and investing in a world that's beyond what is seen.
[From our first in-person Sunday in a year]
While in unimaginable pain, Jesus still uses the few words he has left to care for others. The takeaway? No matter who you are, there is a place for you at the foot of the cross.
Jesus walked over 3,000 miles in his ministry — but it’s the final 2,000 feet that will be the most difficult, and the most important — for they will lead him to the cross.
Pastor Bryan and Alisha team preach this Sunday about how God will fight for our relationship, even when we don't.
If Jesus endured abuse of all kinds, he is uniquely equipped to care for you in the wake of the harm you have experienced in your own life. As we wrap our minds around the public torture Christ endured many thoughts and emotions surely swirl. But chief among them is this life-changing truth — by his stripes we are healed.
When Jesus is brought before Pontius Pilate, his exchange with the Roman governor is loaded with meaning. Like Pilate, when we find ourselves before the truth of Jesus, we have a choice to make -- the crowd or the cross.
In our new relationship series, Pastor Bryan preaches how the openness you give, determines the marriage you have!
As Jesus is arrested and subjected to a shady sequence of interrogations, Peter tries to follow him...but from a distance. The results are disastrous. Apparently distance leads to denial. We must follow him closely.
Pastor Bryan preaches on how spiritual formation forms your theology, or your pain does.
If you've experienced betrayal, rest assured that Jesus knows what you're feeling. Still, even in the midst of betrayal, he shows us that his kingdom will come in ways completely contrary to the those of the world.
Pastor Bryan preaches how our wrong emotions will have us looking for people to feed us rather than us feeding them.
On the last night of his life, Jesus asks his father to do 3 things for his followers — protect us, sanctify us, and unite us. If we remember these prayers, we’ll also remember we are not alone, change is possible, and hope is bigger than division.
Pastor Bryan preaches about how we sometimes justify things inside because of what we do well outside.
As Jesus begins to pray on the final night of his life, 3 things appear to be on his mind -- the GLORY of God, the AUTHORITY of God, and ETERNAL LIFE by knowing God. When we orient our thoughts and actions around these same ideas, things change.
Pastor Bryan preaches how what we’re unaware of has the greatest opportunity to hurt us.
The divine call to be a peace-maker is always difficult, but especially in the wake of indefensible acts. Remembering what following Jesus is (not) about, asking ourselves where our hope is, and choosing to reflect the heart of God in the midst of the madness provides a starting point as we process a heart-breaking week.
Pastor Bryan preaches on Saul's kingship, and how his error wasn't in becoming a king, but it was how he never dealt with his issues internally.
As we look back on an unexpected year, and forward to another one that's sure to have its own challenges, Pastor Brian brings us an encouraging word on what it means for God to hit reset in our lives, our church, and our world.
As people finishing one hard year and staring down the likelihood of another, what hope does God offer us? “Yes, you will have suffering in this world. But take heart — I have conquered the world.” In these words we don’t just find our hope, but also our purpose as a church for the season to come.
Is it possible you don't pray because you think God doesn't love you? The certainty of Gods love for you, makes the mystery of prayer hopeful. The uncertainty of Gods love for you, makes the mystery of prayer hurtful.
Pastor Bryan preaches how favor doesn’t always look like what we want it to, but that God always works along side of us.
As we approach the end of the year, there are no shortage of reasons to feel disheartened and discouraged. Why can we choose hope in such a difficult season? Jeff Bethke reminds us of our place in God's story and points to five truths we can cling to that empower us to take heart, regardless of the season and especially in this one.
Pastor Bryan preaches how gratitude is the ability for us to remain emotionally healthy even when our natural situations are wavering.
There is a joy that can replace our sorrow and wipe away our pain. Forever. We take hold of such joy as we see Jesus for who he is, and serve others as he does.
Pastor Bryan preaches how thankfulness should slow us down to appreciate how God is involved in our lives.
In the midst of troubling circumstances, we can take heart because we have been given a Guide who has gone before us and will lead us in the truth.
When people are experiencing real pain, “Don’t worry, be happy” is not helpful. God doesn’t ask us to ignore our hardships. He joins us in the midst of them.
Pastor Bryan preaches that what we do for God can’t substitute our time with God. The importance of prayer and solitude for our inner world is something that we run from, but that's the most important aspect of our walk with God.
For Christians facing opposition while on mission with Jesus, there is some very good news in this passage -- Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to show people in the world the things they need to repent of. Pro tip: never stop asking the Spirit to do the same for you.
Pastor Alisha preaches how we want a gospel that comforts us, instead of one that disrupts us.
In John 16 Jesus is all the more intentional to equip his disciples for his absence, and for the opposition they will face. He foretells the hardship to come, but makes it clear he will be with them every step of the way. He says the same to us today -- no matter how dark things get.
In a culture that treats busyness like a badge of honor, committing a day every week to intentional rest looks somewhere between irrational and insane. But when we remember Jesus has already done the work that matters most, our rest becomes worshipful, joyful, and the very thing we need.
Pastor Bryan preaches on how God has given us a light inside of us, and how to use it to expose the bad, and illuminate the good!
In a culture of indulgence, excess and self-reliance, fasting might be the most counter-cultural thing we can do. It’s time to make room.
Silence and solitude is essential to a thriving spiritual life. Our culture places such little value on this practice that it can be one of the harder ones to make space for. However, when we obediently place ourselves before God we are able to experience the forming power of becoming like Christ.
Scripture is a tool God has given us to connect with Him. If we are going to be people who remain in Jesus, we must learn how to use it. Pastor Jason teaches us how to pray through scripture and shares how this practice has impacted his life.
There's no way to abide in Christ without abiding in his Word. And many of us still don't. What if we actually wanted to? And what if we actually did?
If we love like Jesus it will be messy, it will be hard, and it will be full of joy. To love others like Jesus, we have to act like him. How do we model truth and love like Jesus did?
Pastor Bryan preaches how our tendencies can be to worship things that were created for our pleasure, which takes the place of God in our hearts.
If abiding in Jesus and bearing fruit feels impossible, you’re right. We can’t do what we’ve been called to do without divine assistance. Luckily, there’s a helper committed to teaching, reminding and guiding us.
Pastor Bryan continues his series in Daniel, and preaches on how you are only as stable as what you’re surrendered to.
Reviewing John 15 as a whole reveals the 3-fold command that helps us bear much fruit. Bottom line: there is no way forward without pruning. It will be painful, but it will be worth it.
Immediately after equipping his followers to love one another, he prepares them to be hated. It's our job to make sure we are being opposed for the right reasons, and to remind each other why we can be confident in the face of opposition.
Pastor Bryan preaches on how we are living in a Babylonian world today and how we as Christians need our identity to come from God.
The command to love one another seems simple enough, and the news that Jesus loves us with the greatest love possible is a game-changer, but what do we do when we are being held back by our hurry, our worry, and our fury?
Loving God and loving others is not at odds with obeying God. Jesus Himself is the example for us to follow of what it looks like to be in the world and not of it.
Our friend Tony Cooke continues our series Summer at Reach with a message about Psalms 23.
HOW YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED WITH REACH
Reach Church Website https://www.reachchurch.us/
Reach Church Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/reachchurchss
Reach Church Instagram @reachchurchss
Chad Stewart Instagram @pastorchadstewart
Fruit is the accumulation of our character, conduct, attitudes and actions. Rob Faucette leads us through John 15:4-8 outlining what it means to bear fruit and to abide in Jesus.
The process of spiritual formation flies in the face of modern culture. Jeff Bethke helps us see how God intends us to be sustained contributors in our world, rather than burnt-out producers.
When Jesus is moving you into a new season, he makes sure you know what your source of life is. First step: admitting the things you are currently trusting that will never deliver.
This Independence Day weekend we have a short video devotional for you to watch at anytime as we celebrate and study the meaning of freedom together.
Ever feel like your life has been put on pause? Pastor Bryan preaches on how you don’t have to be moving to be progressing, when you follow God's plan.
The best gifts we can give to our seniors are also the best reminders we can give to ourselves.
Our Youth Pastor Chad Ketcher continued our series Good News by sharing a message called Both Are Vital For Growth!
The difficulties of the COVID-19 quarantine in 2020 took a toll, especially on those of us dealing with anxiety and depression. Here, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and pastor Joshua Loy discusses anxiety and depression with compassion and care to help you learn to hear from God and practice hope in the midst of these struggles.
Josh Loy is part of the Reach Staff. He received his Master of Arts in Counseling from Western Seminary in Portland, and received undergraduate degrees in Youth Ministry and Bible from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He's also the Director of Counseling Recovery and Chaplain at Eastside Academy, where he's counseled at-risk teens for 8+ years.
Pastor Bryan preaches how being in stride with the Spirit eliminates the enemies power.
Sometimes it’s necessary to pause and truly recognize what God has already done to take the next step in front of you.
Pastor Brian McCormack, along with Dr. Thomas Beavers (a pastor in Birmingham, Alabama), were recently interviewed by Pastor Scot Pollok of Forefront Church. Listen to this conversation in the wake of George Floyd's death and the international outcry that's followed, they discuss racial reconciliation, protests, privilege, and the Church's role in reconciliation.
In the midst of one of the most contentious cultural moments in recent memory, how does God address our doubts around peace even being possible? He gives us 7 encouragements straight from the Gospel of John, and pushes us to see and share the suffering of others — the same way Jesus did for us.
In the midst of one of the most contentious cultural moments in recent memory, how does God address our doubts around peace even being possible? He gives us 7 encouragements straight from the Gospel of John, and pushes us to see and share the suffering of others — the same way Jesus did for us.
The Trinity is not an abstract proclamation about God. It is an intimate invitation into the very life of God. Joshua Ryan Butler helps us gain a deeper understanding of the Trinity and its implications for our lives.
The Spirit-filled life is not about wanting something more THAN Jesus; but about wanting more OF Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the helper we need to obey God with love, and share God with boldness.
Our good friend, Jonathan Rainey (chaplain, Washington Huskies / Seattle Seahawks) shares an incredibly encouraging word about the power and practicalities of prayer, especially prayer in the midst of doubt.
Sometimes major lessons come through minor characters. Philip, a rarely mentioned apostle, shows us that regardless of our doubts, change is possible in the knowledge of Jesus.
Is heaven real? Is Jesus the only way to get there? Pastor Britt unpacks beautiful truths about what's to come to give us hope right where we are.
What is the proper way to think about doubt as a person trying to grow closer to God? A quick survey of scripture shows two things: empowerment to be honest about the doubts you experience, and a God who pursues us in the midst of our doubts.
"Is Jesus God?" "Christianity seems too complicated." "What if I've been hurt by Christians in the past?" "I tried already, and failed."
Our God is not intimidated by doubts and questions like these. As we continue studying the final night of Jesus' life, we see Jesus ramping up the compassion and the clarity for his closest friends...the same way he wants to for you.
For all of human history, people have been wrestling with the big questions of life — questions about death, freedom, isolation and meaning. In dark seasons like the one we face in the era of COVID-19, that wrestling becomes all the more common. How do we find the hope we all long for? By listening the right voice.
Pastor Brian McCormack interviews Rich Perez, a Pastor in New York City during the time of the Coronavirus crisis.
Why would Jesus invite someone into his inner-circle that he knew would betray him? There are several answers to that question, and they all center around things He wants YOU to know. If Jesus can use the darkest night in history to bring about ultimate good, you get to praise him in the midst of whatever darkness you face.
Jesus breaks from all expectations of a rabbi on Passover to do something typically only done by the lowliest of servants — he washes his disciples’ feet, and commands them to do the same for others. Before we can do what Jesus did, we must know the 3 things he knew that empowered him to love to the uttermost.
Who is Jesus? Why did he come? Is there hope for me? Do my decisions matter? How can I have eternal life?
Some see but don’t believe. Others say they believe, but don’t speak up. We are a church that does all three — especially when those around us are hungry for hope.
The loyal love of God. Our relentless trust in God. Our commitment to the mission of God. On our first day of gathering online, we highlight these three things by featuring several trusted voices of hope from within our church family.
United Conversations are candid and compelling expansions on important topics introduced in our 2020 series, Reach United. Listen in as everyday folks from Reach share their perspective and their story as they follow Jesus.
Mixing things up a bit, as our host Joseph Sanchez takes on the roll of the interviewee and his wife Erin Sanchez interviews him! Joseph and Erin are a biracial married couple and parents to two incredible children Jael and Elijah. The Sanchez family has been members of Reach for over 2 years. Listen in as Erin lovingly guides this conversation and helps Joseph open up about his life as a biracial Mexican American.
United Conversations are candid and compelling expansions on important topics introduced in our 2020 series, Reach United. Listen in as everyday folks from Reach share their perspective and their story as they follow Jesus.
As our United Conversations continue, we dive in to the lives of David and Sandy Jeong. David and Sandy are a Korean American couple and parents to two beautiful daughters, Lucy and Rosie. The Jeongs have been attending Reach for about 2 years now and are members of the Leadership Council. We're taking a moment to dive in, address, and possibly debunk some hard hitting stereotypes as David and Sandy graciously guide us through their story.
United Conversations are candid and compelling expansions on important topics introduced in our 2020 series, Reach United. Listen in as everyday folks from Reach share their perspective and their story as they follow Jesus.
This episode we spend time with Rob and Lisa Faucette. They have been at Reach for over 4 years and you may recall Rob preaching a few powerful sermons on a Sunday morning. Rob and Lisa are a interracial married couple and parents to two wonderful children, Taya and Malachi. We look forward to listening in on how life, church, the Gospel, and parenthood is experienced by a biracial family as we continue in our Reach United Conversations.
United Conversations are candid and compelling expansions on important topics introduced in our 2020 series, Reach United. Listen in as everyday folks from Reach share their perspective and their story as they follow Jesus.
Our first episode is with Lawrence Daniels. Lawrence has been around at Reach since nearly the beginning. He’s a husband, dad, and a volunteer with a national suicide prevention hotline. We’re eager to hear his personal and sometimes gut wrenching story growing up as a Hispanic Christian as we continue to hear from diverse voices in Reach United.
Pastor Bryan preaches how generosity at it's root, is confident that God can and will come through even in lack!
Jesus tells us that his soul is troubled—but instead of stopping there, he doubles down on his relationship with God and says, “Father, glorify your name.”
Megan unpacks this text and challenges us to show our cards, bet big, and invite God to rain his presence down on us no matter what we’re walking through.
Culture says it’s all about you. Christ says deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me. In dying to ourselves daily we experience more joy than we thought possible.
How do you "see" Jesus? In John 12, Some Greeks who were looking for Jesus stand out against the gospel narrative as unusual in the political landscape of the time. In a culture where there was separate "worship" for the Gentiles at the Jewish temple, these men were a picture of all who want to know God. As these Greeks request to see Jesus, his response is that in order to rightly see him, you have to see his death, burial, and resurrection.
When you are considering a difficult journey, you must know two things: why you must go despite the difficulty, and how to take your first steps.
If Dr. King were alive today, we can assume he would rejoice in the progress that’s been made since his “I Have a Dream” speech, but he would certainly not turn a blind eye to the long road yet to be travelled. Sometimes God calls us to ditch the script of the expected, and take a closer look at who we are, where we’re from, and how we live.
Pastor and humanitarian Eugene Cho joins us to kick off Part 1 of Reach United: The Gospel & Race.
We can't just talk about Samaria. Like Jesus, we have to walk through Samaria. Everyone loves the idea of reconciliation until we realize that reconciliation involves: confessing, confronting, truth-telling, repenting, dismantling, forgiving, and bridge-building.
But as Jesus shows us in his interaction with the woman at the well, real relationship matters to him and therefore, must matter to the people of God, no matter the cost.
God's various gifts are handed out everywhere. Everyone gets in on it and everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit to all kinds of people! That's how we get to be the church and reach the city.
What if you’re already living into the purpose you're searching for, and you just haven’t had the eyes to see it?
Pastor Bryan preaches how love doesn’t force its way into your life, but it becomes a force when it enters your life!
It’s possible to be in the right place, at the right time, saying the right things, all with a heart that is far from God. We must know who the king is, and what we need saving from most.
It is often forgotten that Lazarus ends up on the Chief Priests' hit list after Jesus raises him from the grave. Apparently living a resurrected life makes you a threat to some. Live such a life anyway.
The value you place on Christ will determine how you interact with Him. Watch how beautiful things happen when your affections line up with the value of Jesus.
- this sermon of Rob’s is largely inspired by John Piper’s thoughts on the passage.
When an unexpected source proclaims the most important part of the Good News, we are forced to answer a crucial question — “How will we respond to the irrefutable power of Jesus?”
God's "hesed"-Love is an anchor for our souls. It will hold us. Our response to that love is simply to take hold of it and embody it. Listen as Pastor Jason Chudnofsky and men from the our church reflect on all God did this weekend.
Stop. Before you say that, or do that, or tweet that about your fellow Christian, remember you have the same father, and your foremost allegiance is to the same kingdom. Now carry on.
What would change if you believed the truest thing about you is that you are made in the image of God? That ALL humans are? A lot would change. We’re banking on it.
Jesus raises Lazarus from the grave, and lands the first blow in his battle with death. The knockout punch will come soon after when he himself rises. Nothing will ever be the same.
We so often forget that Jesus entering our pain is often part of the good news. We don't just have permission to grieve, we are called to.
Sometimes God waits until all earthly hope is gone to do his thing, so there is no confusion who is working. Jesus' question to Martha is the same question he poses to you: "Do you believe?" Make sure you're not holding back your "yes".
If resurrection is true...if it’s really possible...if life can spring forth where only death has been...everything changes.
Pastor Alisha preaches about the the space between what we see and what God has promised us, and how to stand in the midst of it all!
In wrapping up our new series, Pastor Bryan preaches how the potential in God's word wont exceed your obedience to it!
Plenty of things will come against you in this life hoping to separate you from the God who loves you. None of them will succeed. Your shepherd, your father is too strong for that.
We are constantly overwhelmed by all kinds of voices. Thankfully, Jesus is eager to silence the voices that are not from him, and reveal himself as the one who can lead, feed, protect, and save us.
Jesus didn’t simply settle for physical healing for the blind man, he pursued him for his spiritual healing too. These verses show us that Jesus has a perfect record of finding the people he goes looking for and begs us to see ourselves in the story.
The testimony of the blind man Jesus healed equips us for what to expect and what to do when our life-changing encounter with Jesus is met with skepticism, accusation, and rejection—both externally and in our own thoughts.
Jesus meets a man out on a walk with his friends and shows he can heal anyone, anywhere, in their body or their Spirit.
Jesus challenges the faith of his audience by giving evidence of what true, saving faith looks like.
Jesus pulls no punches when addressing those who do not yet believe in him; the stakes could not be higher. Still, he calls all of us to look to the cross and believe in the one we see.
This week we learn how it’s one thing to be knowledgeable about God’s love, it’s another thing to turn it into action!
Jesus is constantly declaring who he is with the words "I am..." When Jesus says "I am the light of the world", He is declaring His power to bring hope and healing to every bit of darkness in your life through His great rescue.
When Jewish leaders catch a woman in the act of adultery and bring her to Jesus, they try to trap him with two options. Jesus then flips the script (as he often does), showing the woman a third way of grace and truth.
If you believe in Jesus, the Spirit will flow from deep within you. This is not optional, nor is it conditional. Are we open to allowing the Spirit to move in and through us in new ways? Are we aware of what’s at stake if we don’t?
Jason Chudnofsky teaches on how to trust what God says about you more than what your experience or circumstances say about you.
A wrong view of purpose, power, or practice can keep us from having a true perspective of Jesus...which is the most important thing in the world. Jesus is urging you to see him as He truly is, and to experience his life-changing truth as you choose to trust him through obedience.
As we kick off our new series ‘Beyond The Darkroom’ Pastor Bryan preaches on how the point of process is to purify us for our purpose!
We asked our friend, Jonathan Rainey to bring a message about the kind of church Seattle needs, and how Reach can play its role well as God does his work in Seattle. The powerful simplicity of what he said will encourage and equip you.
Jesus’ brothers reflect some of our own questions for God. Jesus models for us what it looks like to trust God’s voice and God’s timing even amidst the pressures of the world around us.
Many leave Jesus looking for easier words. The faithful are called to remember that only Jesus has the words of eternal life, and also to remember: Jesus was rejected, and if we follow him wholeheartedly, sometimes we will be too.
Jesus says "I Am the Bread of Life. All who see the son and believe in him will have eternal life." Just like the crowd, we hunger for the wrong bread. Jesus is the bread that will satisfy.
Storms of hardship are part of life. Jesus sees us in them, comforts us in them, and uses them to reveal how he is God, He is Good, and He is here
Jesus is constantly inviting us into seemingly impossible missions for the benefit of those in need. How will we respond? Hopefully we will do so with trust and expectancy, placing our faith in the great Provider.
When we consider the stories of the Prodigal Son and the Apostle Peter alongside each other, the same truth emerges — we are closest to home when we are closest to Jesus.
Our friend, Eugene Cho lays out the very heartbeat of Reach by declaring a big gospel and inviting us to embrace both the Great Commission (make disciples) and the Great Commandment (love your neighbor).
Demonstrate is our word for the year at Reach! In this series we’ll be talking about how God demonstrates His power to us and how we can demonstrate God to others. Pastor Chad kicks off this series with a great message on having an encounter with God that will cause us to stand out to those around us!
For centuries philosophers have been asking “what is the meaning of life?” Where are we to find purpose? What should we live for and die for? What if God’s great purposes in the world are to be adopted as our own? And what if the joy we long for becomes a reality as we do so?
Our culture is full of people who are both wildly successful and profoundly unsatisfied. For some reason we all buy into the lie that power, and performance, and excess, and indulgence will quench the thirst deep within us.
And we all remain thirsty throughout these pursuits. Are we willing to consider the possibility that satisfaction comes not in the acquisition of things or the performing of works, but in the knowledge of a particular person?
For many of us, our most hopeless moments happen as we reflect on our inability to make meaningful changes in our lives. Addiction feels too strong, and fear too real for us to keep hoping to become something different, something better.
What would change if we were to come face-to-face with a supernatural power that was committed to championing the process of bringing meaningful change into our very hearts? Answer: Everything. Everything would change. Starting with us.
Everyone takes their turn going through hardship. If there is power to strengthen us for our journeys through dark times, surely we’d all like to know. Good news: Jesus sustains. He’s more committed to you than you are to Him.
In our new series BOXED IN, Pastor Bryan teaches us how Jesus doesn’t look for success, just surrender. And when we give Him our weaknesses, He is then able to do amazing things with them!
Everyone is enslaved to something, and some things all of us are enslaved to. We need a redeemer who can remove guilt, alleviate fear, defeat evil, and conquer death. So, can we be set free? Yes, because Jesus Saves.
Sometimes it’s important to pause, reflect on all we’ve learned, celebrate stories of God’s faithfulness, and agree together on the path God has called us to walk in unity for the season to come. This year’s journey to Easter will be different than any before. We’re going to do all we can to create spaces of safety, risk, and joy so MANY can hear the Good News of Jesus.
The story of the Prodigal Son is really a story of a father who creates a space of safety, risk, and joy for his kids. Through the Gospel, God invites all of us into such a space. Our mission is to create such spaces for others.
The Apostle John is the perfect person to write a biography of Jesus. In his story we find reasons to hope and footsteps to follow.
Happy snowy Sunday! There are no gatherings today, but here's a short devotional to help facilitate a time of scripture reading and fellowship in your home.
Discussion questions: 1. Have you embraced your freedom in Christ? 2. How much are you consuming and for what purpose? 3. What opportunity - small or large - do you have to serve someone this week?
What happens when Jesus is not the center of our lives? What are we to do when we realize He isn’t in His rightful place? This passage doesn’t just pose the questions, it provides the answers. He’s provided the map of how people get lost — it’s on us to follow it back home.
It all comes down to this: Jesus is either God, or He’s not. If He is, He gets everything we have and everything we are.
Many avoid authority at all costs, believing that total autonomy is the path to joy. But the authority of Jesus is marked by love, and submitting to it with our entire lives is where satisfaction is found.
God commands us to rest so we can experience true rest in Him and His Gospel. Yet most of us insist on grinding 7 days a week. What does our refusal to slow down reveal about our hearts? More importantly, what joy are opting out of when we sidestep God’s call to remember the Sabbath?
Our theology of healing should serve everyone in the multitude — those who experience miraculous healing, and those who don’t.
Many of us will start pursuing goals and changes to start the new year. First, let's pause and reflect on key things the Bible taught us this year to keep our hearts attentive to how God would have us plan ahead.
What feels impossible this Christmas? As we study the "first impressions" of Jesus in each Gospel, we see how his arrival shows us that nothing is impossible with God.
In a tender encounter with a woman used to being on the fringes, Jesus reveals an incredibly important truth — the satisfaction we all seek is found only in Jesus....knowing Him, and making Him known.
Ben Malcolmson, assistant to the Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll (and husband to our very own Brittney Malcolmson), shares his story with Reach. Ben shows us that if we walk in obedience to God's will, he will work great things through even small acts of faithfulness.
Within these verses lies the secret of life that no one sees coming — fullness of joy does not come from the pursuit and exaltation of self, but in the denial of self. When John the Baptist says “I must decrease, he must increase” he flips contemporary culture on its head…and invites us to follow him into true satisfaction.
“For God so loved the world that He gave his only son…” These words are the most well-known in the entire bible for good reason. Believe them, and the result is eternal life.
Jesus says we all must be born again. It is only through His life, death, and resurrection that we are able to enter the Kingdom of God.
Our greatest good and deepest joy come through nearness to God. When Jesus cleanses and replaces the temple, he declares himself to be the only means by which we can experience life-changing closeness to our creator.
The first miraculous sign Jesus performs in the Gospel of John is spectacular at first glance, and even more profound as one looks deeper. As hundreds of gallons of water change to wine, we discover the new way change is designed to come into our lives in the ways that matter most.
Dr. Gerry Breshears helps us get practical, using the biblical example of Elijah to show us how to respond to depression and anxiety. Includes live Q&A immediately after the message.
We start our conversation on mental health by establishing a shared vocabulary, declaring shared convictions, and pointing to a shared hope.
As we come face to face with Christ’s purpose, we also discover our own. We all want to witness greater things — that happens as we follow Jesus on his mission.
Jesus calls all us to follow him, with all we are. A life of all-encompassing response is a life of true worship.
Discussion Questions: How do you make an effort to be with Jesus? To become like Jesus? To do what Jesus did? What might following cost you? Do you believe He’s worth it?
Jesus is the Good News. In John 1 we see many names and titles attached to Jesus, each one enlarging our understanding of who He is and what He’s done. Come and See Jesus...every angle of Him.
Discussion Questions: Which of the names/titles attached to Jesus in John 1 resonated with you most? Is Jesus your lamb? Your teacher? Your king?
As we wrap up our nine month study through Ephesians, it's important that we remember what we've learned and take next steps toward obedience.
The prologue to John’s Gospel is a masterpiece. When John introduces Jesus as “The Word made flesh” he is making a declaration much larger than one would initially realize. He is changing the way humanity thinks. He is changing the course of history. And he might just be changing your life.
Discussion Questions: * How do you currently deal with the fear and anxiety that tries to take over when you think about the certainty of death? How does this awareness affect how you live? * If God is indeed calling you to “Come and see,” what specifically might he be wanting to show you in this season?
Recommended Reading: And He Dwelt Among Us — A.W. Tozer A collection of Tozer’s sermons on the Gospel of John. Could be a great devotional supplement as we journey through John.
A Brief History of Thought — Luc Ferry The book on philosophy written by French atheist referred to in this sermon. We obviously don’t endorse his conclusions, but if you’re looking to dive deep and sharpen your convictions, this could be helpful.
God has equipped us with the Sword of the Spirt to stand firm in the finished work of Christ.
Even if you know salvation is important, it’s very possible your understanding of it is way too small. Being saved is not just a past-tense truth — it’s the promise of change for the present, and the certainty of hope for the future.
The armor of God makes it clear that believers are called to "stand", even in the midst of spiritual warfare. God makes our standing possible by providing for us the shoes of the gospel of peace–the only foundation that makes us ready for whatever may come our way.
Righteousness is meant to protect what’s most vital and central in our lives. But to understand righteousness biblically and embody righteousness practically there are 3 people you need to know.
Our enemy is dangerous, and our mission is great, so God equips us for the battle we find ourselves in. What’s at the center of God’s armor? The truth of who Jesus is, what He has done, and who He says we are.
Paul’s words to slaves and masters in 1st Century Rome were paradigm shifting in every way. Those same words have more implications for our lives today than we would expect as we follow the great emancipator, Jesus Christ.
The call to honor our parents and raise up our children has more implications than we think. With the Holy Spirit’s help, our families will be the most powerful thing the world takes notice of as we strive to demonstrate and declare the love of Jesus.
Submission and headship are some of the most controversial words in the New Testament, yet they are central to the dynamics of a healthy marriage, and a joyful relationship with Christ himself.
God says, “Don’t get drunk on wine...be filled with the Spirit.” Let’s dive in, shall we?
Why is sexual sin such a big deal to God? Is there hope for change in an area where freedom seems hopeless? If so, how are we to fight?
All of us are united by the universal need to change, to become the true selves God created us to be. We demonstrate we are all-in with this process as we check our heads, hearts, tongues and hands, and invite God to work change into our entire lives.
What are God’s plans to build up the church in maturity and unity? He won't leave us to figure it out alone. He provides grace and gifts for every season.
We often settle for knowing more about God rather than experiencing him. We want a vibrant relationship — his goodness working in and through us, especially as an anchor for life’s most challenging seasons.
The Spirit of God working through the people of God is plan A for achieving the mission of God...and there is no plan B.
How does God work in a person’s life, and in a community’s life? He tears down, and he builds up.
Stop looking at peace as a commodity to acquire. Start looking at it as a person to know.
It’s no accident that a long section of Ephesians about unity starts off with a command to remember. Forgetful Christians do not experience true unity, and do not carry such unity into the world. We must be a remembering people...together.
Jesus' resurrection is good news—out of great love for us, he brings life into places where we expect to only see death.
Before we can see the cross as something done for us, we must see it as something done by us. As we acknowledge the depth of our sin, we experience the fullness of His love.
We all need to be reminded of who and what we were before grace came to bear on our lives. Then and only then are we able to truly rejoice in what Christ has done.
Many of us view the world through the lenses provided by the culture we live in. To see Ephesians for what it is, to see reality for what it is, we need to make room in our worldview for an unseen realm, and unseen beings. As our perspective gets bigger, so will our understanding of our King who reigns over all things.
Of all the things Paul could pray for his Ephesian readers (and for us millennia later), he prays that the Father would give us more of the Spirit, that we might know God more. In an ever-deepening knowledge of God we receive hope that can be found nowhere else, an inheritance of infinite value, and power greater than every enemy.
Pastor A.J. Harris is a guest speaker for our One Night Revival 2018. He is the Head Pastor at New Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Saginaw, MI
Pastor Chad finishes off this series speaking on marriage and the importance of intimacy with our spouse.
Far too many people are ignorant to the incredible gifts and blessing that are rightfully theirs as sons and daughters of the King. You have been given a priceless inheritance, and the Spirit is your guarantee that it will not be taken from you.
At the center of God’s heartbeat is his desire to see us experiencing unity — with him, and with one another.
Anyone can be redeemed. Anyone can be forgiven. Terrorists can become pastors. Sinners can become saints. Simply put, grace wins.
The words that lie at the center of the Reach family are Gospel, Worship, Community, and Mission. An understanding of adoption is required to live them out well.
The implications of these three verses have sparked much debate for centuries, but the simple act of reading them slowly and intentionally should lead us into awe. Simply put—he has made us family.
It’s tempting to breeze through the introduction to a book or letter. But the truth within the first two verses of Ephesians is more than enough to change everything.
If we can trust Him with the eternal, we can trust him with the present. What God says, God will do.
True love goes first, true love sacrifices. We see this in both the love that comes to us, and the love that goes through us.
Jesus came to undo all that’s broken and twisted in the world we know, bringing victory and redemption to his children.
Sin does its best to separate us from God, but In Christ we find an advocate, our righteousness, and our propitiation. Simply put, we can experience nearness with God — and that changes everything, starting with us.
God is light. Behold the light, believe in the light, be changed by the light, so you might be the light.
An introduction to the First Letter of John: 1 . Jesus is real. 2. Only fellowship with Him and his people leads to eternal LIFE and fullness of joy.
A proper view of Heaven leads to a passion for the life to come, and deep-seated purpose in our lives today.
One day you will stand before the judge. Are you confident as you consider what will happen on that day? You can be.
There are many implications of Christ’s return, but we must wrap our minds around this simple, wonderful truth — one day the fullness of his presence will be here…with us…forever. What emotions does that stir up in you? Your answer reveals much about where your hope is.
Throughout the story of God, his heart for blessing ALL the peoples of the earth is on full display. Our heart must reflect His heart.
Wherever you are, be there on purpose. At the intersection of the Great Commission, the Cultural Commission, and the Greatest Commandment we find our mission — to be a church for the city.
The message is simple: There is enduring hope. For you. There is invincible joy. For you. In Jesus.
The Gospel is the story of God’s generosity towards us. To follow Jesus is to commit to living out his vision of a generous life. Answering the call to give more of our time, talent and treasure is a matter of discipleship, and ownership.
Throughout the entirety of the scriptures God is consistently passionate about the glory of His name. Our lives should be characterized by the same passion. If we are truly people living for the name of Jesus, we will refuse to live for the glory of any other name — the name of any other god, any human name, or our own name.
Brian was invited to speak at Northwest University on the scriptures—what they are, if we can trust them, and why and how we should read them.
You have a role in the story of God. You'll need a new heart with new desires and a new power source to play it well. How convenient and glorious that God provides those very things through Jesus.
We show a 10-minute featurette from the film The Heart of Man and discuss its Gospel themes and stories with the writer and executive producer, Jason Pamer.
Followers of Jesus should be known for the peace they exhibit in the midst of hardship and suffering, and committed to caring for others as they endure storms of their own.
People of conviction are those who have been thoroughly convinced something is true, as evidenced by their actions, regardless of the cost. Such are the people God uses most to do His work in the world. Such are the people we will be.
Why should I pray? How should I pray? What should I pray for? These questions are some of the most important we will ever ask in our walk with God. By exploring a key prayer at the dawn of the church, we look for answers to each of these, in the hope that we would all be compelled into a deeper level of commitment and passion in our prayers to a loving and sovereign Father.
Jesus invites each of us into a personal relationship, but He doesn’t stop there. He invites us into a family, and he saves us a seat at the table. It’s at the table we discover one of the greatest gifts He’s given us this side of heaven: each other.
To be the Church God has called us to be, we must be devoted to the Word of God. Our identity. Our joy. Our weapon. The Scriptures provide us all of these things if we are willing to read, receive, and obey them.
Too often the Holy Spirit is relegated to the back seat, and the consequences are significant, to say the least. To be the family of faith we have been called to be, the Spirit must take the wheel.
It the Gospel is really "good news", then why do statements like "for God so loved the world" often seem cliché? Maybe we've missed the grandeur these familiar words aim to reveal. Maybe God's love is better than we realize.
In a matter of a few days, Jesus saves us from our sin, he saves us from the fruit of sin, and he sends us out with good news for everyone.
When Jesus shows up to Jerusalem just days before his death, the kingdom shows up with him...but in a way no one expected.
Through a series of parables, Jesus lays out a call to humility. Through his entire life and death, He demonstrates it. To follow Him, we must embody it.
In the midst of our physical, emotional, and spiritual brokenness, Jesus desires to be our healer. But how do we maintain hope when healing hasn't come yet? As we fix our eyes on Him, we begin to realize a greater plan is at work—one that results in our ultimate healing.
Just when it seems all hope was lost... Jesus comes to fulfill the promises of God to His people. Good News is proclaimed to the hopeless, sick are healed, slaves go free. Things will never be the same. We will never be the same.
Jesus is calling you from something, to something, for something. The real question is this…are you ready to leave it all behind and actually follow Him?
As we experience trials in life, the question often becomes, “Does God really have a plan in all of this?” Through the story of Daniel, we’ll see how the fruit of faithfulness results in God’s glory, and inevitably, our joy.
Rightly understanding the wrath of God helps us to fully appreciate the unrivaled supremacy of his glory and the great cost he paid in order to ransom his people.
If you struggle with having the ability or the desire to live as you've been called to, you have a heart problem. Good news: those who believe get a new heart.
Two years ago the people of Reach raised $130,000 to build a safe house with Rescue:Freedom International in Central India. Those dollars built a new house that over 70 women and children now call home. We had the chance to celebrate the opening of the home with Easo and Leela, the founders of the rescue home, on their first trip to America. We also heard the story of how God called them out of comfort, and into mission—and how they’ve experienced more joy than they ever thought possible as a result.
Jesus rose from the grave. Yes, that's crazy. But if it's also true, it changes everything.
Through David the King, we get a glimpse of the King of Kings, who will make good on all of the promises God makes to his people throughout His story. To know peace and joy is to know the King.
In between David the Victor and David the King, we find David the Outlaw. It's in this unexpected, difficult season of his life that we learn what it means to be one "after God's own heart".
Have you ever felt like you were in a battle you just couldn't win? David's fight with Goliath seemed hopeless, yet his victory proved otherwise—foreshadowing Christ as our ultimate victor.
In the book of Ruth, God is hardly even mentioned. Still we see he isn’t intimidated by bad beginnings, is always behind the scenes, and invites the unexpected into a greater story.
This week, Josh Butler joined us and spoke on a different topic at each gathering, taking us through the topics of his book: "The Skeletons in God's Closet".
Part 2: Many people struggle with the violence of the Old Testament, and particularly the apparent genocide of Canaan. We’ll take a closer look at these passages to confront some popular caricatures, revealing not only that these passages do not depict genocide, but even moreso that they are surprisingly a great source of hope for our world today.
This week, Josh Butler joined us and spoke on a different topic at each gathering, taking us through the topics of his book: "The Skeletons in God's Closet".
Part 1: Many struggle to make sense of Israel’s sacrificial system in the Old Testament. It can seem anachronistic and even barbaric today, leaving some wondering whether this is a malevolent God who needs his pound of flesh in order to be satisfied. In this session, we’ll take a closer look at sacrifice, to see how it points us to the goodness of God, the gift of life, and a gratitude that can set us free. We’ll explore how to talk about it with others in a way that ultimately points to Jesus.
This week, Josh Butler joined us and spoke on a different topic at each gathering, taking us through the topics of his book: "The Skeletons in God's Closet".
Part 3: We often hear “God can’t stand the presence of sin,” but is it true? Does God back away when we mess up for fear of being tainted? We’ll explore how we get it backwards: our problem in the biblical story is not so much that God can’t stand the presence of sin, as sin that can’t stand the presence of God. We’ll look at what this means for the role of the Law and the centrality of love, in God’s redemptive pursuit of our world.
God promised for hundreds of years that He would bring His people into the Promised Land, but the one who would lead them there has died. Will God keep His promise and bring them rest in the Promised Land? What about His promise to us? We find the answers to these questions in the life of Joshua.
God isn’t just mighty to save—He’s also faithful to sustain. The second half of Exodus shows how God provides sustenance, protection, victory, and presence as He continues the ongoing rescue of His people.
The story of the Exodus is the clearest picture of the Gospel we will see in the Old Testament. Slaves go free, and God proves himself faithful (yet again).
There are many lessons to be learned from the life of Joseph. God is close in suffering. He is the author with authority over all things. He takes what is meant for evil, and uses it for good. Believe these things and everything changes.
Nearly all of our favorite characters in the Bible, while remembered for their heroism, walk with a tainted past. Can God really use broken, messed up people for His purposes? This week, we explore the life of Jacob—a man whose wrestling with God led him to confront his past and discover a bright new future.
The story of Abraham initiates God's plan of redemption through a promise called a covenant, but it also points the future hope of a Savior. As believers we are called to trust in our Savior in order to know this incredible hope.
After the Fall, the rest of God's story is about two things: God getting His kids back, and the coming of the "He". The story of Noah shows us humanity's downward spiral, the horror of sin, and a flicker of hope right in the middle of the darkness.
There are some common questions that all of humanity asks. How did this all start? Where did it go wrong? Is there any hope to be found? We find the answers at the beginning of God's story.
What exactly is the Bible? Can we trust it? Do we have the right books? What does it mean that the Bible has authority? Gerry Breshears of Western Seminary walks us through these important questions as we prepare to launch our year in the story of God. Includes an extended Q + A.
Every New Year conversations swirl around the ideas of priorities and commitment. Jesus doesn't pull punches when he addresses these things, making it clear that the cost of discipleship is high, but the rewards are beyond anything we can imagine...if we will step into our place in God's story.
Jesus didn’t leave the reason for his coming a mystery. He explicitly declares why he came many times over in the scriptures. Investigating these declarations empowers us to live generously as He did.
Our ability to be generous is only driven by an understanding of the gift that Jesus is. When we receive him, know him, and follow him, we’re invited to be part of a generous kingdom.
Jesus was born into a long line of unexpected, seemingly unqualified leaders. The good news of his arrival is for all people, even those who have been historically excluded. There's room for everyone—for you—at the table.
1 Peter reminds us that hope is not an experience to long for, but it is a person and his name is Jesus.
Jesus was a storyteller. He was also the hero in the most important story ever told. So we're certain that story matters to Him. On Story Sunday we heard stories from our church family and discussed the power story has to transform church culture and our lives.
The conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount reveals the heart of God—that of a Father who desperately wants His children to come home and is willing to call out the false paths, false prophets, false assurance, and false foundations that try to keep us from the fullness of life that is only found in His presence.
For our final Sunday before Election Day, Jackie Hill Perry joined us as we walked through the words of Christ about how we are called to interact with our family under the king, those who oppose the king, and our Father who is the king. No judgment, no hypocrisy, all grace.
To watch our Forum on Sex & Spirituality with Jackie, find the Forums button on the Home tab.
Since God is after our hearts, He doesn't just care about our good works, but also the motives behind them. When Jesus commands us to give, to pray, and to fast, He does so in hopes we will hand Him the parts of our lives that don't belong to Him yet.
Jesus leaves no rock unturned as he looks for parts of our lives that don't fully belong to him yet. His words about divorce reveal how highly he views marriage, and how desperately he wants the world to get a glimpse of his love via husbands & wives.
Jesus has some counter cultural things to say about what we are to do with the two hardest types of people in our lives—those who do us wrong and those we call our enemies. What He says isn't easy, but it gives us the key to perfection in this life.
Pastor Chad speaks to us about the principles of tithing. We learn that tithing, even though is seems like it's primarily a financial issue, is all about the heart.
Jesus wants your heart—so he cares deeply about "invisible" things like anger and lust that try to fast-track you toward destruction and judgment. Sometimes hard hearts need to hear hard things, but the hope is bigger than the burden is heavy.
Bring what is lacking. Preserve what is decaying. Dive into the mess. Illuminate the darkness. This is the calling we share.
The Beatitudes serve as a flawless introduction to the Sermon on the Mount. They are a profile of what a community committed to living as citizens of God's kingdom looks like.
Some things have changed, but what's really important is what never will—the call to actually do what Jesus has called us to.
Whether you realize it or not, you need a shepherd—someone stronger than yourself to protect you and provide for you. Psalm 23, perhaps the most famous of all the psalms, delivers the great news that God wants to be the shepherd you need.
Worship is not about you. Only when we embrace the command to encourage one another and make much of God through song do we tap into the joy God has waiting for us as we sing.
We can find sweet delight in the good words of our good God in every situation of life. This psalm shows us how.
Out of the seed of envy, rebellion grows. This powerful psalm shows us how the presence of God makes true change possible.
What in your life do you treasure most? In Psalm 63, David treasures God as though he is the difference between life and death, both the source and the focus of his joy.
Our friend Adrian Wright, pastor of Anchor Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, unpacks the bigness of the Gospel, and shares several monumental gifts that are ours “in Christ.”
Edward Sumner from REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade), shares about the work being done to stop commercial sexual exploitation in the Seattle area. In a situation that seems beyond redemption, hope refuses to believe the voice of the dominant culture.
Krist Wilde, Pastor of Capital Church in Boise, Idaho, shares a message on the importance of thankfulness in all circumstances.
This Sunday we took time to address the sense of pain, anger and hopelessness surrounding the events in our nation. Brian and Steve are joined by Detective Jon in an honest conversation about race, police and hope.
If our identity is built on the approval of others, we will find ourselves vulnerable to rejection and repetitive heartache. Jesus teaches us how to build a foundation that sustains and satisfies.
We all have a standard of what's good and right, but what happens when we fail to live up to that standard? If "to err is human" then what do we do to fix it?
An unexpected experience with the cross can change everything. Despite being written centuries before Christ, Psalm 22 paints a vivid picture of what Jesus endured on our behalf to secure our rescue.
When faced with a season of suffering, we can either lean towards cheap grief or lean into God. He will turn our valleys of weeping into an oasis for others.
Psalms 1 & 2 are the introduction to the book as a whole, pointing us toward timeless truths to orient our very lives around.
In the closing portion of Paul's letter to the Philippians, we unpack two of the most popular verses in all of scripture and discover the secret of contentment in all situations.
In his addressing of a specific broken relationship between two disciples of Philippi, Paul lays out commands to obey, facts to believe, and promises to trust as we pursue peace in our lives together.
The Good News calls for us to live in a peculiar way—we are to be a people who make an impact in this life by focusing on the life to come.
All Paul wants is to have the deepest knowledge of Jesus possible, by any means possible. Is that your desire?
Which of these is the core message of Jesus; falling in line or falling in love? Paul paints a picture for the everyday Christian that obeying Jesus is full of joy.
True humility leads to true unity, which leads to God getting the glory He deserves and us getting the joy we long for.
There are a few verses in the bible that shine a light on the very heart of what a life following Jesus is to be about. This is absolutely one of those verses. "______ is life." How would you fill in the blank?
Would you expect suffering to bring about more boldness and a confidence in Jesus? Paul writes about a faith that grows even as he struggles with living out some of Jesus’ most difficult truths.
In Paul's prayer for the believers in Philippi we find our purpose as a church: To love Jesus, by knowing Jesus, and be changed by Jesus, for the glory of Jesus.
God specializes in shining light into darkness and conquering death with abundant life. If he really has risen, there is always hope. Always.
Before we can see the cross as something done for us, we must see it as something done by us. As we acknowledge the depth of our sin, we experience the fullness of His love.
Jesus sends his followers to go into the world to be his ambassadors of hope and reconciliation. God gets glory, the world gets healing, and we get joy.
Following Jesus isn’t just your ticket to Heaven and means to true change. Knowing him and being known by him is the most satisfying thing in the universe, because his steadfast love is better than life itself.
Can people really change? Your answer to that question has more implications than you think. The very good news is that Jesus brings change into our lives — so we should know how He does it, and how to be all-in with the process.
What if Jesus is more committed to you than you are to him? If he really is a good shepherd who never loses sheep, you can rest in his love for you — regardless of the darkness you're walking through.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost — everyday people who need an answer for the brokenness around them and a hope for redemption.
Brian and Josh kick off "Reach, Season 2" by sharing what's changing, what's staying the same, and how we will go deeper and wider in the years to come.
As we finish the Lord’s Prayer, we are reminded that God will give us everything we need for a life of purpose, and protect us as we step out to be a part of what He’s doing in the world.
The Lord's prayer might be the most frequently spoken collection of words in the history of human language. But rarely do we pause to reflect on them and the power they hold. Perhaps we should try just that...
In our final dive into the book of Acts, we see the sovereignty of God, the faithfulness of Paul, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the continual spread of the Gospel…all the way to Rome. The big question: what do we do now? The big answer: go deeper, spread wider.
Paul’s final instructions to church leaders and friends he’ll never see again are a simple and potent blueprint for us to reflect on living the life of a disciple of Jesus.
When Paul finally makes it to Ephesus, God has prepared everything for transformation to sweep across the province. Sometimes what seems like God’s “no” is actually him saying “Yes, but not yet."
In Corinth, Paul makes new friends, makes new disciples, and receives an encouraging vision from Jesus himself. What does it all mean for us? We don't have to be afraid...because God is with us.
While in Athens, which is similar to Seattle in many ways, Paul shows us what it looks like to engage, serve, and love a city engulfed in idolatry.
The Incarnation is the foremost of God's many declarations that he is committed to us experiencing the power, intimacy, and healing of his presence.
The Incarnation is a model for mission, showing us that Jesus came for those who don't have it all together.
The idea that God would become man is crazy and scandalous, but also true and foundational to the entirety of our faith.
Paul and Silas are accused of “turning the world upside down.” Can the gospel empower followers of Jesus to really live that way?
Paul and his friends encounter three people who need God’s grace. Can the gospel really change them? Can it change us?
In answering this question, the scriptures reveal the heart of our Father, who isn’t out to steal from us, but rather to protect us from the things that are doing just that.
Jesus teaches that our hearts are found where we keep our treasure. Here’s the question: is money what we worship, or how we worship?
Before we can live sent, we've got to be clear about who we are and what we have to say. Our message is grace.
As Paul completes his journey, his primary goal becomes all the more clear; equipping believers for life and leadership in the Kingdom. This is not only Paul's heartbeat, but also the heartbeat of Reach.
Identifying, destroying, and replacing the idols we worship instead of Jesus should be central in the life of our church family...and joyfully so.
For some of us, the call to mission is “Will you go?” For most of us, it’s “Will you stay?”
Sharing the good news of Jesus is the primary activity of a missionary. In Antioch Pisidia, Paul delivers a sermon that clarifies the gospel we are to believe and the gospel we are called to carry to others.
The Holy Spirit sends Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey. Like many of us, they're still rookies just learning to tell others about Jesus.
Relationships are a huge blessing in our lives but they can also be difficult to navigate sometimes. In this series we learn what God says about marriage and relationships! This is not just for people who are married!
It's always good to pause and celebrate what God has already done before diving into what you hope he's going to do next. Includes stories of God's faithfulness, a financial snapshot of the church, a glimpse of what's coming this Fall, and a call to be a people of steadfast love.
Our friend Jevon Washington takes us through a story of God's provision in the desert, and shows us the provision He offers us today.
The 2nd church in our history, Antioch, gives us a glimpse of what it looks like to give selflessly and mature.
Steve Ridgway, former interim CEO of Open Doors USA, shares his experiences serving the worldwide persecuted church.
Reach's dear friend Adam Ramsey takes us the back of the book and shows us the hope in us, the mission in front of us, and the satisfaction ahead of us.
It’s a gift from God. It leads us into fullness of life. We know it’s important. But most of us can’t define it, and don’t know how to practically walk it out. Let’s revisit repentance, shall we?
In an increasing interconnected and global culture how can we be a people that welcomes anyone and everyone? What should be the underlying motivation that sends us out into our everyday spaces to befriend and love the other? How can two people from different backgrounds sit down and enjoy a meal together?
In order for the Good News to be spread throughout the world to all kinds of people, Jesus must deal with prejudice in the hearts of his followers. God cares about race. We must care about it, too.
The story of Saul meeting Jesus and the transformation that follows features a man who starts the chapter as a killer of Christians and ends it as a leader of Christians. No one is beyond the transforming grace of Jesus. No one.
National adoption advocate and friend of Reach Jason Johnson shows us the relationship between the gospel and adoption, and how we all have a part in God's story of redeeming the marginalized.
In this series we learn about what it will take to graduate to the next level in different areas of our lives and relationship with God! We also learn about where God is taking Word of Life as a church and the vision that He has laid on pastor Chad's heart for the church!
Scot Pollok, a dear friend of the Reach family, shows us the encounter of Stephen - an early church leader who shared the gospel and was ultimately murdered for it.
Jesus promised that His church would be a growing thing. So the question is this: how do we mature while we multiply?
The early church in Acts has a care crisis; our city does too. How has Jesus sent us to our neighborhoods?
God uses relationship to usher hope and healing into our lives. He equips us to do the same when He sends us into our cities.
God has a plan for us: to bless us as we work to be a blessing to the city He's placed us in.
The disciples endure imprisonment and torture for loving their city. To be a church for the city, we must count the cost...and choose to love anyway.
To be a church for the city requires true unity and radical generosity -- 2 things that only come from the Holy Spirit.
Infintiely powerful, intimately personal. In a beautiful exchange with Peter, Jesus puts both his authority and compassion on display. If there’s grace enough for Peter, there’s grace enough for you.
Charles Spurgeon said it perfectly -- "Let us not be too mournful about anything, now that we know we have a risen savior as our friend!"
After being released from their night in jail, Peter and John pray with their friends. What and how they pray inspires us to examine the manner in which we approach our Heavenly Father in prayer.
Peter and John are arrested and brought to trial as the good news about Jesus spreads through the city. Peter follows Jesus’ example and displays a selfless love.
Regardless of the relationship you have or don't have with Jesus, the reality of His vast love and power is bigger than your current understanding. So...how does your view of Jesus and His love need to be enlarged?
When Peter heals a lame beggar, we get two glimpses of what it means to walk in Jesus' name.
We have been invited into relationship with the creator of the universe, to converse with Him as often as we like. Incredible. So why do we struggle to take Him up on the invitation?
In both the Lord's Supper (communion) and ordinary meals, we see glimpses of God's love. Jesus wants you to come to the table, and to pass the invitation along to others.
True fellowship is not just Christians hanging out. It’s about participation, partnership, a shared purpose, and even shared possessions. A God who IS fellowship has done everything necessary for us to experience fellowship with Him and fellowship with one another.
Time for some unlearning and relearning. It's not enough to just hear the Word. Our devotion is measured by our obedience.
As Peter gives the first sermon ever, we are reminded that we have a gospel to believe, a Holy Spirit to be filled with, and that we can't help but live out that good news.
The inauguration of the Church, God's beloved family, the body of Christ, is marked by the coming of the Holy Spirit, in power, to unify and empower the followers of Jesus for the great mission before them. Things will never be the same.
The disciples are about to step into the grand mission that Jesus has invited them into. But first...they must wait. There is much to be learned when we observe how they wait.
As we start our deep study of Acts, we zoom out to see the book’s crucial place in God’s big story, and learn about the Holy Spirit who empowers us to step into the role we’ve been invited into.
Matthew 6:5-13. Prayer is an essential part of life in God’s kingdom. Jesus teaches his followers how to pray - simply and specifically.
Prayer is an essential part of life in God’s kingdom. Jesus teaches his followers how to pray - simply and specifically.
Whether life is going exceedingly well or seems to be completely falling apart, we have a God who has something better for us in Jesus.
Whether life is going exceedingly well or seems to be completely falling apart, we have a God who has something better for us in Jesus.
What does a life of generosity really look like? What should the people of the church do to become generous in every day life?
Jesus tells his followers to love as He has loved them. Because of God’s incredible kindness, we’re compelled and equipped to be generous people.
Most people have encountered the succinct gospel summary, “Jesus Saves.” We believe there is another: “God gives.”
God has blessed us with His very best in Jesus. Christmas is the perfect time to remember that we needed a Savior - and He showed up.
Our Great Mission concludes with an in-depth look at God's desire for his people to love the city and serve the poor in the scriptures. How has he equipped you to serve?
There is no higher calling than the one God gives to his people; to show others what He is like — in all of creation, and in all of culture.
Sometimes it takes a sermon with just one point to make something sink in. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us.
Hope is a universal need — we all long for it. The risen Jesus declares that hope is in him, and that hope is available. * A note from Pastor Brian: In this sermon I refer to an article claiming that a first-century historical account of Jesus performing a miracle had been found. Shamefully, I did not check my sources well, and the article was revealed as an intentional deception by its author. Forgive me for not being more careful, and know I’m committed to not making such a mistake again. I pray you are no less inspired by the hope of the resurrection as you listen. He is alive!
If the tomb is empty, His promises are not. We have a living savior -- time to rejoice.
On the cross Jesus proves that he is willing to go to any lengths to make us sons and daughters of the King — so we can be loved like family, and live like family.
The death of Jesus accomplished more than most of us realize. On the cross Jesus takes our place, cleanses us of our sin, gives us his righteousness, declares us righteous, and eliminates the separation between us and God.
We can't get enough of these stories! Jeremy Vallerand and K.K. Devaraj share how Reach's generosity is making real impact in India.
Jesus is mocked, crucified and killed, accomplishing His work at the cross once and for all.
Like the ruler who handed Jesus over to be crucified, we have a choice to make: recognize who Jesus is, or wash our hands of Him.
Jesus stands before the council for an unjust trial. When we would have stayed silent, Jesus speaks up.
In the garden, Jesus gets a glimpse of the horror waiting for Him in the hours ahead. Terrified as He is, He shows us He is as committed to His mission as ever.
Have you accepted the fact that God's love for you is not dependent on your performance? Jesus foretells Peter's denial and reveals to us that even in our worst moments, His love for us remains.
Jesus goes way off the script of tradition. As He shares communion with His disciples, He shows the new covenant between God and us
Jesus shares the Passover meal with His disciples and alludes to His betrayer. In doing so, He shows us that God always keeps His promises.
Do you feel a genuine depth of relationship with God? A woman gives Jesus a precious gift and is ridiculed for her generosity.
Jesus highlights the incredible contrast between exploitation of the needy and giving out of sacrifice.
Have you ever waited for something for a really long time? Jesus further reveals Himself to the teachers of the law and to us as He references Himself in the Old Testament.
Sometimes life is overly complicated. Jesus simplifies things; explaining the most important commandments in all the Bible.
What does it look like to live in the present with eternity in mind? Jesus clarifies that there is in fact an afterlife.
Teachers of the law attempt to trap Jesus. His elegant response puts each of us on the spot.
For most people, the word “authority” has negative connotations. But authority is a good thing if the one who possesses it is good. Jesus uses his authority to serve, to love, and to empower disciples to walk in his authority for those same purposes.
Jesus has no patience for fruitless, empty religion. In this sequence of encounters with a fig tree and in the temple, Jesus condemns man-made efforts to cover up sin, and points to how, in just a few short days, he will fulfill the grand promises God made to his people so many years prior.
God uses his followers as the primary instrument to fulfill his mission to restore and redeem all of creation. As ambassadors of hope, disciples are now called to live day to day life on mission for God.
As followers of Christ we are called to live in community just as God himself IS community. By looking at the early church we see an example of what a faithful community looks like and what we are to called to strive for today.
Humans are made to worship God, but our sinful nature has disoriented us into worshipping false idols. Jesus's intervention allows us to remove our idols and makes true worship possible again
How do we respond to being rescued by Jesus? By becoming a disciple of Jesus -- and that begins with simply believing the Gospel.
If Jesus rose from the dead, that means all of his promises and plans are true. It means that we have an everlasting hope that can bring us joy amidst trials and suffering. That is very good news.
Even though he knows that it will bring him his own death, Jesus intentionally enters into Jerusalem for the final time. Revealing that he always shows up for us.
Through a passage in John, Jesus explains that the Holy Spirit enables followers of Christ to achieve things we can never do on our own. The Holy Spirit is the bridge that allows us to get to our mission as a church.
Guest speaker, Zac Gandara, shares his life story and ministry and then shows that being a follower of Jesus is so much more than just having the church experience.
Through the story of a blind beggar, Jesus shows there is no middle ground to Christianity. Instead we are called to receive Jesus's healing and then immediately go and tell others of what we have received.
Mark 10:35-45. Through his interaction with James and John, Jesus reveals that his primary purpose for coming to Earth is not to be served but to serve -- and to give his life as a ransom to set slaves free.
Mark 10:32-34. Jesus never asks us to go somewhere he hasn't first gone himself. In this passage, we see Jesus walking boldly towards his persecution and death.
Mark 10:17-31. Like the rich young man, we tend to worship our stuff instead of God, but Jesus shows us that in order to inherit eternal life we must place our trust in him alone.
Mark 10: 13-16. Jesus tells us in order to receive the kingdom of God we must go to him with child like faith and live in complete dependency on him.
Through an encounter with Pharisees, Jesus shows that the institution of marriage is not primarily for us, but to display the Gospel and the sacrificial love he has for us.
Jesus shows his disciples what lengths he will go to keep his children and in response to the consequences of sin, what lengths we should go to get the sin out our own lives.
Jesus challenges his disciples to realize God's work is being done by a much larger team than they thought. The same is true for us.
NY Times bestselling author and friend of Reach Jeff Bethke shares the story of the Prodigal Son and the incredible grace of God.
What's the greatest lie ever told? Life is a story about you. How do you stop believing it? SERVE.
Just another healing story? Hardly. Jesus helps a desperate father find faith, and reminds his disciples (and us) that without connection to God, we can do nothing.
The disciples have seen what Jesus is all about, now he asks point blank: "Who do you say I am?"
Jesus' encounter with a blind man is an amazing miracle and a perfect example of who Jesus is and what he does. He gives light.
Jesus has encounters with two groups that doubt in different ways. Jesus gives us everything we need, even faith.
What have you forgotten about Jesus? Jesus shows his patience with us by willingly repeating himself in order to remind us of what he has already done.
Jesus has an incredible encounter with a man who is deaf and mute. Maybe there's hope for those of us who struggle to hear from God and speak for God.
Jesus doesn't look at human status, but at human need. Even the most unclean can come to Jesus and be made clean. That's VERY good news.
Jesus challenges self-righteous religious leaders and makes it clear that rituals can't make you clean. If the law isn't good news, then what is?
God's story is about a mission to make himself known to the people he loves. As he is a missionary, his people are called to his mission.
The Gospel is the greatest gift that we could imagine. So, how should we respond? Worship is a whole-life response.
Jesus has a moment of solitude in this famous story where he reconfirms to his disciples that he is near and aware of their needs.
Though he's going through a terrible day, Jesus feeds over 5,000 people in one of his most well-known miracles.
In the days leading up to John the Baptist's murder, we get a glimpse of dialogue that help us to understand what the gospel is all about.
We live as communities on mission because Jesus has sent us out to proclaim the good news of the creator, the cross, and the resurrection.
Jesus sends his friends out to spread the message of the Kingdom of God. The thing is, they are massively under-qualified.
Jesus does the impossible - he brings a dead girl back to life. Jesus changes the sounds of mourning into awe and celebration.
Guest speakers Rob Garey & Jeremy Vallerand, read Mark 5:1-21 and give us incredible perspective on modern day rescue around the world.
Jesus sets a man free who has been tormented by demons. Jesus uses his surpassing power to free people.
The disciples are filled with awe when Jesus calms a storm that is sure to drown them. Are you in a storm?
Pastor Brian sits down with Zac Gandara for a Q & A about the transformation God has brought about in his life.
Jesus talks about how the Kingdom of God keeps growing even when we don't understand it.
Do you feel like the world you live in is a dark place? Jesus tells his disciples about light shining in the darkness.
Jesus tells a short story to describe the condition of the human heart. Do you identify with the people Jesus describes?
So, Jesus is alive and we're called to live on mission with him. How did they do it when the church first began?
Jesus had a biological family, just like we do. Our families point to the greater truth of God's family.
Can you do anything so awful God won't forgive you? Jesus explains that he came to forgive us of everything.
What do you worship? Like it or not, you're likely worshipping something today. For followers of Jesus, worship is a full-life response to the gospel.
As crowds continue to press Jesus around his region, he begins to call a few followers to know him better and to go out to live as he lives.
Are you tired?Jesus says that he has all authority... and he wants to use that authority to give us rest.
Jesus tells two short stories to explain that new life can't be held in the old container of a past way of life.
Jesus invites the most hated and outcast person in his society to eat with him. Would he invite you to eat, too?
In one of the most unexpected stories of Mark, the friends of a paralyzed man bring him to Jesus to be healed. Check out Jesus' response.
Jesus himself prays; teaching us how to pray and that we certainly need to pray if we mean to worship God with our daily lives.
Suffering has the uncanny ability to reveal the joy of trusting in Jesus and the misery of trusting in anything else.
This passage from Mark chapter 1 is loaded! Jesus is baptized, we get a glimpse of the Trinity and John the Baptist tells us that Jesus is the Messiah.
Listen to Week 1 of First Things First, a series all about the story of Jesus from the Book of Mark.