The Well Church: Nashua NH: Recent Episodes
The Well Church
We are The Well. We are far from perfect, but we love our city and exist to help people know Jesus and join his rescue mission. We're glad you're here! Come listen to previous messages given at The Well Church in Nashua, NH. Check us out at https://thewellnh.org
Ever struggled to make ends meet? You are in the majority of Americans, 78% of whom live paycheck to paycheck. As followers of Jesus, we know that God is able to provide. Some of us have seen His radical provision, while many of us understand what it's like to still struggle. What does faith look like when we ask God for provision? And what can we find in the journey of asking for provision? As we continue our series, "All Things Are Possible", we look to supernatural provision and discover God's great invitation for us along the way to be transformed.
In our tumultuous world, you do not have to look far to find a reason to be afraid. From political instability and economic challenges, to rising crime and loneliness, there is a reason many are finding themselves more anxious than ever. As followers of Jesus, how are we to respond when life seems uncertain and threats to stability seem to be on the rise? As we continue our new series, “All Things Are Possible,” we are going to look to the supernatural power of God to give us a surprising protection when fears and threats rise. So, invite a friend to join us in-person at either our 9 am or 10:45 services. Services are also available online at 9 AM or on demand!
The past can hurt. Choices we've made and wounds dealt to us can leave us in mental, emotional, and behavioral prisons wondering if there's any way we can escape. Perhaps the pain of the past is haunting you. How do you break free? As we continue our new series "All Things Are Possible" and look at the power of God for deliverance, we'll explore the reality of supernatural evil, addiction, trauma, and how the power of God can set us free.
If you’ve ever been in a season where you need healing, whether it’s physical, mental, emotional, or even relational healing, you understand the pain of wishing things were different. It’s easy in seasons like this to wonder, “Will it ever get better?” or if you’re a person of faith, “God, why don’t you do something about this? Are you unconcerned about what I’m going through?” If you’ve ever wondered any of these questions, we encourage you to invite a friend and come to either our 9am or 10:45am services, online or in-person, and discover what’s possible with God when we come to Him for healing.
Have you ever been offered something that looked too good to be true? Many times, that’s exactly how it works. We are bombarded with hundreds of ads every single day over-promising and under-delivering which conditions us to believe that many things are too good to be true. On top of that, we’ve been burned by relationships that started well but ended in disaster, jobs that didn’t pan out or turned frustrating at best, living situations or locations that turned out to be less than ideal. Even our vacations can over-promise and under deliver. So, what are our options? Do we risk hope when we can get burned again? Or do we give up trying and become cynical? Or is there a genuine reason to hope? Is there something we can turn to that will not only promise, but deliver on that promise? …something or someONE who can hold true no matter what happens in life? We believe that all of this is possible with God because of the resurrection of Jesus. Still skeptical? You GOTTA come on Sunday as we explore the evidence for the resurrection, its lasting effect over history, and its present power for us today. As we start a brand-new series called, “All Things Are Possible” we are going to begin with the power of the resurrection, not only to restore our hope in eternity, but to discover a fresh power for today. Join us online at 9am or on demand, or in-person at either the 9am or 10:45am service. You can even register in advance to make sure we save you a seat.
Why do you do what you do? How many of you know we can do all the right things for all the wrong reasons? We can put in the necessary work on the job, but only to impress the boss, climb the corporate ladder or simply get a paycheck. We can take out the garbage, so our spouse won’t be mad at us. We can parent our kids, but discipline them to get them off our backs, or push them hard so we can live vicariously through them. We can even go to church regularly, but more out of a motivation to look good and check a religious box than to actually encounter God and love others. The reality? …no one is impressed. The average person can see right through us, as our true motives will find us out. And honestly, bad motives rarely lead to good, healthy places. As we continue our series, “This Is What We Do,” the apostle James is going to expose how the results of our lives often reveal our true motives. If we can dig at them deep enough, and rebuild the foundation of our motives, we can experience significant freedom.
“You should know better.” This is a phrase many kids are familiar with, as parents have spoken these words over poor choices for generations. What’s assumed? It’s assumed that the child has information that would have prevented them from making a bad decision. But is misinformation the critical piece of bad decision making? Or is it more than that? We have more information at our fingertips than ever before, yet it doesn’t seem to help our poor decision making. So, what do we need to help us navigate life better? As we continue our series, “This Is What We Do,” the apostle James delves into the power of wisdom and shows us that wisdom is the difference maker. But what is wisdom? How do we obtain it? How do we use it?
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Could anything be further from the truth? My guess is that there were ugly words spoken over you in your childhood that still ring in your head today. “You’ll never be good enough!” “If you could only lose a few.” “You’re the black sheep of the family.” “You’ll always be a failure.” Some of these hit too close to home and have the capacity to keep us in a sense of bondage. As we continue our series, “This Is What We Do,” James tackles this head on and shows us that our words carry weight. How are you using them? Are you a source of life or death to those around you?
Though the fastest growing religious group is the “nones” (those who identify with no organized religious group) we still hear things like, “You just got to believe!” or “have faith in yourself.” Though faith in institutions, religious groups or authority seems to be waning, the pull to have faith in something or someone (even if it’s self) still seems to exist. But what does it mean to have faith? When we hear things like, “I consider myself a person of faith” what is actually meant? Is it identifying with a belief system? Is it agreement with doctrines? Or is it something more? As we continue our series, “This Is What We Do,” James is going to actually define faith for us, what it is and how it works. So, bring a friend and join us in-person or online at either the 9am or 10:45am service, and let’s get real about faith.
No one likes feeling used. A co-worker who only went to you when they needed you. People you thought were friends, until they dropped you when you were no longer useful. Folks who turn to you only in hard times.…It’s a horrible feeling. But isn’t it easy for us to do the same thing? We’re conditioned to network, to gravitate towards those with means, fame, beauty, etc. Is this inevitable? Or is there a better way? As we continue our series, “This Is What We Do,” we are going to take a deeper look at how we see people and how we engage with them, according to the way of Jesus. In short, we are going to find favoritism is incompatible with the way of Jesus.
There is a lot of pain on the other side of "Do What Makes You Feel Good." If we never resist temptation, we'll find ourselves in a world of hurt. If our compass is not our "authentic desires," which are so misleading, then where do we turn to find the best picture of reality from which we can choose to build our lives? As we continue our series, "This Is What We Do," we're going to take a close look at the Bible, as the Word of God, and explore the resources and power in it that are offered to us.
It is in the middle of trials that the temptation of unhealthy things is the strongest. It’s hard to resist the easy way out when it presents itself so alluringly. That extra dessert, that innocent flirtation, that binge shopping trip …surely that will help us escape the pain, right? Truth is, there are many things we know are not healthy for us, yet we still find ourselves struggling to resist. …especially when life gets challenging. The problem is that giving in will take us to even darker places, places that have long-lasting, and even disastrous, effects in our lives. So how do we resist? As we continue our series, “This Is What We Do,” we’re going to take a close look at temptation, how it happens, why it happens, and what we can practically do to find lasting freedom.
Winter can be hard. There are usually more cases of counseling in the winter than just about any other season of the year here in New Hampshire. But we can’t wish winter away. It always comes. …so do hard seasons in our lives. They come, whether we like them or not. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a choice. Struggles and suffering present a fork in the road – they can make us stronger or weaker, depending on how we respond. Find out how to practically engage difficult seasons Sunday, as we begin a brand-new series called “This Is What We Do". As we progress through this series, we’re going to look at practical, real-life applications to our faith lives that bring our spiritual life to the ground level. Bring a friend and join us in-person or online at either the 9am or 10:45am service, and let’s, together, put our faith into action.
As we wrap up our series “Habits”, we’re going to define what a habit actually is and take an in depth look at godly principles about how to form habits that last and have a lasting effect. In particular, we’re going to look at the life of Daniel, some of his most powerful habits and how he formed them, and discover how they not only changed his life, but also a kingdom.
We like to think that we're self-made, independent people, not influenced by peer pressure. The reality is that many of our daily habits are a result of the cultural norms around us. The question is not whether we're influenced by others, but WHO are you most influenced by? And are they helping you become all God has called you to become? Join us and discover the power of habits formed in community.
Growth is not automatic. It’s hard. Ever wonder why it’s so easy to keep bad habits and so difficult to form good habits? Bad habits almost seem inevitable unless something changes. We know we’re overeating, but we reason, “I’ll work on that later.” We know we’re overspending, but we’ll get back on track in the new year. But odds are we’re going to keep doing the same thing, unless we make some critical changes. How do we make changes that last? What does it look like to set goals and new trajectories that don’t fizzle out the minute it gets hard? That’s what our new series “Habits” is all about. We want to look at what Scripture has to say about how to become all God has called us to become with His framework for lasting change and growth.
Christmas is upon us and we cannot WAIT for our Christmas Eve Eve celebration! It’s not lost on us that we get to remember the eternity-changing gift God gave us in Jesus’ birth; that God wasn’t expecting us to come to Him …He came to us! And, because of that we’ve been given the free gift of salvation through Jesus. Is there any better news than this? Finally, there is no better opportunity to invite friends and family to join us. More than any other moment throughout the year, people are more likely to say “yes” to a Christmas invite to church. So who are you inviting? Is it possible that God may create a holy moment to introduce them to the game-changing grace found only in Jesus!? Don’t miss this opportunity!
We can be invited to a lot of things, particularly in the Christmas season. How we respond to the RSVP typically reveals what we value. If we respond “no,” it most often demonstrates that we found something more important than going. Our “no” was because of a higher “yes.” If we feel compelled to respond “I’m coming,” sometimes it’s not always true. We may not want to go, but feel obligated to please the boss or not upset a friend or family member. We can say “yes,” but our hearts aren’t in it. In this Christmas season, we believe God is inviting us to His table. What’s your RSVP? And what will it require of us to say “yes"? What do you get out of it? Is it worth saying “no” to some things to give Him your higher “yes”?
Who do you spend time with? In our fast-paced world, we’re not often quick to slow down long enough to simply be with people. When we do, we often meet with people who will somehow enhance our life, or at least provide some reciprocal benefit. We reason the reward would be worth it. But what if there’s an even greater reward in spending time with people even if they do not provide any mutual benefit? What if the reward was simply to love as God loved us?
Meals are not just opportunities to get fueled up. They say a lot about what we care about, and who we care about. Jesus did some of His best ministry around food, and this Christmas season we want to get a window into just how powerful hospitality is, when we do it as Jesus did.
When we lack gratitude or are actively ungrateful it produces fear and anxiety - because we focus on things we don’t have; it produces a complaining spirit - always dissatisfied; it leaves us drained expecting the worst; and it pushes us away from other people and from God. Join us and discover how to praise God for the amazing gifts that He has made available to us and commit to living a life of gratitude.
As we conclude our series, we’re going to talk about the permanent space being “A Place for Training and Sending.” We tend to take the path of least resistance. But growth never happens without resistance. The key is committing to the right kind of resistance. Find out what our commitment to spiritual training will be, and its implications for our building, and long-term impact in New Hampshire and beyond.
As we continue in our series, “Keys to the Kingdom,” we want to cast a vision for what multicultural, multi-ethnic partnership could look like. Martin Luther King Jr. once quipped that Sunday mornings at 11am were the most segregated hour of the week in America, and this segregation has turned many away from the faith over the decades. But we don’t believe it has to be this way. For us to reach all of Nashua, we’re going to have to look more like the diversity of Nashua. And that means including leaders who can live and speak the Gospel in the diverse languages and cultures of greater Nashua.
If you’ve ever watched kids unwrap Christmas presents, it’s amazing to watch the raw, unfiltered joy they can display. But that joy can so quickly turn into a jealous “Mine! You can’t have it!” attitude towards any sibling who wants it. Though grumpy attitudes, entitlement, and isolation were never the intention of the gift giver, it can often be the result if the child is not coached. As we continue in our series, “Keys to the Kingdom,” we want to cast a vision for what a permanent space can become. We believe it will not only be a blessing from God for our church family, but can also be used to bless our community and beyond. We are blessed not to hoard, but to be a blessing.
We all long for a sense of home. A sense of rootedness, stability, belonging and permanence. It’s innate to the human condition. Yet we live in a world where family dysfunction, displacement, impermanence, and instability seem to reign supreme. How do we fulfill these longings for home? Invite a friend and discover the power of God’s vision for His people as we look forward to and develop a permanent home together.
We all want amazing things to happen in our lives, but they often don’t come without great sacrifice. We believe God wants to do amazing things through The Well in the years to come, but He’s inviting us first to great sacrifice to see it happen. As we continue our series, “Keys to the Kingdom,” discover the heart of kingdom contribution, why we’re called to engage it, and what the results will be for those who do so.
Time to Step in... We all want to see amazing things happen in our lives. But are we prepared to take the plunge that will prepare us for those amazing things? Risk-taking is not something we naturally gravitate towards, but miracles don’t often come on the other side of safe. As we continue our series, “Keys to the Kingdom,” we’re going to look at what God can do with a big step of faith. I believe God wants to take His work in our church to an entirely different level in the days to come, but it’s going to require a bold step from each of us before we see the hand of God. Find out what that looks like on Sunday…
What are you afraid of? Some of the top fears in our world today continue to be similar themes from years past: fear of failure, financial insecurity, disapproval, public speaking, loss of loved ones, and death. We could all relate to at least one of these. The reality is that fear not dealt with has the power to not only derail God’s plans and purposes for our life, but also keeps us out of the bigger plans and purposes God wants to accomplish through His family. But how do we get rid of our fear? One of the worst things you can tell someone who’s struggling with fear is “do not be afraid,” because they usually start getting anxious about being afraid. It has to go deeper. How? Find out on Sunday as we continue our series “Keys to the Kingdom,” and discover how to not only overcome fear, but also how to lean into God’s future of our church with faith.
You remember getting your first car? Might have been a total junker, but it was YOUR car. And the most empowering first moment? …when you were handed the keys. Taking hold of the keys meant it was now yours. Keys represent access, authority, and responsibility. We may not realize it, but followers of Jesus have been given an incredible privilege of stewarding a different kind of key. Jesus gave His disciples, and all who would follow in their footsteps, the keys to the kingdom of God, and along with them the access, authority and responsibility that go with it. As we embrace God’s future for The Well and beyond, it’s going to take a different level of ownership, faith, and sacrifice. But we do so with a great and special promise. We’ve been given the keys. Discover what it means for each of us to take hold of the “Keys to the Kingdom” as we embrace God’s future for The Well.
Have you heard of the Good Samaritan law? It's "a legal principle that protects people who offer reasonable assistance to those who are injured, ill, in peril, or incapacitated." Its purpose is to take away any hesitation to help based on fear of being sued or prosecuted for unintentional injury or wrongful death. It's about protecting those who cannot accept being a bystander when people are in need Of course the name of the law comes from the parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus tells. But Jesus never said helping others would be safe. In fact, caring and having compassion for others is anything but safe. It means putting ourselves out there. It means interrupting our schedules. It means stretching our capacity to love. It means caring enough to do something. It means we cannot be just a bystander. It may not be safe to jump into the game but the investment is worth it. How much is just one transformed life worth? To God, the life of His Son. As we wrap up our series on Jonah: Living for More Than Just Me we are going to get right to the heart of God, the condition of the heart of Jonah and discover the condition of our own heart.
As a kid, one of the ways we grow up is trying new things. We try new steps as we learn to walk, try new food as we learn to expand our pallet, we interact with new people as we expand our social skills, and try new sports as we explore our passions, athletic ability and team building. But every once in a while we’re unwilling to try new things because we’re scared. And it’s a parents job to encourage them to keep taking risks if the risk is worth it. To help a child change their mindset, their heart desires, and their behavior because it’s worth it. But when we no longer have parents in our lives, and we make our own decisions, are we still finding ourselves taking risks that are worth taking? If we stay in our comfort zones, what do we miss out on, especially when no one is challenging us anymore? The stakes are high because there is so much life on the other side of Godly risk. It’ll require a change of mind and heart in order to jump in.
We love to highlight those who made it to the top quickly and seemingly with ease. Failure rarely appeals to us but could it be one of our greatest gifts? J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, said in a commencement speech that it wasn’t until after she had failed at some critical things in life: marriage, finances, etc., that she devoted herself to writing. She said she was about as close as she could be to homeless in Britain without actually being on the street. And that’s when she wrote. Upon reflection, she said it was in her failure that she found her calling. In the same way, God’s greatest work in us is often not done until we reach the bottom of our lives. As we continue our series, “Jonah: Living for More than Me,” we’re going to take a look at the gift of our failure in pointing us to the radical grace of God and how it has the power to help us find our greatest hope and a calling beyond ourselves.
Ever felt ignored? Unwanted?…not a fun feeling. That feeling alone can make us not ever want to go back to the environments or people who made us feel that way. As much as we don’t like feeling this way, have we unwittingly become the ignorers rather than the ignored? Stats are showing that many who call themselves Christians have little to no non-Christian friends or family members, which means far too many non-Christians are disconnected and ignored by the church. Yet, that doesn’t mean they do not have spiritual questions they’d like answered, or that they’re not seeking something spiritually better. But do we care? What will it take for the church to bridge the gap? Find out Sunday as we continue our new series “Jonah: Living for More than Me” and explore the powerful invitation and resources for living our faith before a watching world.
Phubbing. Heard of it? It’s defined as follows: “the practice of ignoring one's companion or companions in order to pay attention to one's phone or other mobile device.” Many identify it as the symptom behind ignored relationships, loneliness, anxiety, and even reckless driving and accidents. Why is this such a big issue? Because our whole culture has trained us to be too self-consumed to see the bigger picture of the beautiful opportunities beyond us. As we begin our new series, “Jonah: Living for More Than Me,” we’re going to look at God’s challenge and invitation to a prophet who could only see himself. In the weeks ahead discover the golden opportunities and the full life we are invited into as we learn to get our eyes off of ourselves.
In the Western world, we live with an inordinate amount of abundance and convenience, historically speaking. When asked “Do you need anything?” Many of us often respond, “I'm all set, thanks.” And it may be true of many of us when it comes to our physical needs. But is it true of us spiritually? Is it a safe place for us to say “I’m all set, thanks” at a faith level? Find out in the conclusion of our series “Why Church?” about the urgent threat of spiritual complacency, the life and death danger it imposes on our lives, and how to recover a vibrant faith life.
Why do we tend to quit so easily? Or simply look for escape from our challenges instead of dealing with them? You were going strong in your budgeting, eating, or reading rhythms …until you weren’t. And as excited as you once were, now you’re not only discouraged but feeling defeated. Why? And how did I get here? This happens in our faith life too. A strong start doesn’t entail quality endurance. What will it take to be resilient? Find out Sunday, as we continue in our series “Why Church?” discovering God’s resources for the enduring soul.
Are you alive or just going through the motions? Zombies have become popular in our culture since the show The Walking Dead became popular. Zombies walk around and eat. From a distance they can appear alive but they really are dead. Now I know zombies are not real and are gross but the truth is many people think they are alive yet really they are dead or dying. Sure they might have been alive at one time but they have lost the spark that brings life. Sadly this is true in many of our churches and among many of our fellow Christians. They act like they are spiritually alive yet in reality they are spiritually dead. They are going through the motions of life, doing the right things but their hearts are dying or dead. They are not being transformed by the Holy Spirit, they are not accomplishing God's purpose for them, they are not attracting others to Jesus because Jesus is alive and they are dead or dying. How can we know if we are truly spiritually alive or just going through the motions? This Sunday we continue our Why Church series with the letter to the church in Sardis. A church that at one time was very alive but now is very dead and discover how we, as Christians and the church, can make sure that we are not spiritual zombies but are a living testament to our living God.
What’s the big deal? If it makes me happy and it’s not harming anyone, who cares? Why can’t we all just get along? These questions are some of the most central questions around our American culture today when it comes to faith and sexuality. Tolerance is considered by many to be the main virtue. “If it enables more people to find their own happiness, why not?” many reason. So what do we say to this? In a culture where “anything goes” when it comes to sexual identity and expression and various beliefs – as long as it’s not harming anyone – who’s to argue against this? Is this the way to human flourishing? Or is there a dark underbelly not totally visible at surface level? This is what we want to address as we continue in our series “Why Church?” Discover God’s heart for human flourishing when it comes to faith and human sexuality.
Compromise can be a good or bad thing. We teach our kids to make compromises with each other to help negotiate the best way to live together. Peace often involves compromise. Yet there are other times when compromising is disastrous. Whenever we compromise our integrity by lying, cheating, or stealing it never takes us anywhere good. And it's never acceptable for a spouse to ever compromise on their faithfulness to the marriage. Could you imagine, "Hey, honey, I'm faithful most of the time. Don't worry, I just compromise a little." As we continue in our series "Why Church?" we're going to look at the real threat of compromise to our faith and what it takes to remain faithful to Jesus.
"Hey you are going to suffer because of your faith in Jesus" is not the most attractive message for those who are not part of the church and can be a bitter pill to swallow for those of us inside the church. But I am going to be honest with you, when you choose to follow Jesus you will experience suffering for that choice. Apart from the general suffering that everyone experiences. Your faith is going to cause you to make choices that other won’t like and will want to hurt you for. Your faith is going to cause you to be belittled, made fun of, even marginalized from your peers. Your faith is going to be challenged every step of the way by those that do not understand it. This life can be full of suffering and it can be so hard when in the midst of it to be hopeful. Join us this Sunday as we continue our new series Why Church? and look at the letter to the Church in Smyrna who experienced great persecution and suffering. Discover where to find the hope that Jesus has for all who suffer.
Why church? Why does the church exist? Why does it matter? Why should people be a part of a local church…. These are great questions that many people are asking in our post-Christian culture. Both Christians and non-Christians alike. The church was created to be a spiritual family dedicated to bringing glory to God through applying biblical principles, caring for one another, and being a conduit of the good news of Jesus to the outside world. Sounds great, but that message is not getting through to many. And the younger generations are increasingly seeing the church as judgmental, hypocritical, known for things they are against and detached from real needs in the community. What happened? Over the next 7 weeks we will dive into the Seven Letters to Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation and see what Jesus wrote to those seven different churches in Asia and how Jesus defines what a church should and should not be. How are we measuring up? This is a great series for those people in your life that you care about but are not part of a local church. Invites some of them to come with you this Sunday as we begin with the words to the The Church at Ephesus. A church that was amazing but had one fundamental flaw.
Ignoring real warning signs can have devastating consequences. Look no further than the hubris of Stockton Rush and the catastrophe of the Titan sub, who ignored all warnings and lawsuits aimed at its fatally faulty design. The same is true about our spiritual lives. We are in a war for our souls, and if we ignore the warnings against temptations and trials we put ourselves in compromised positions that can lead to a “catastrophic implosion.” How do we fight it? Pray like Jesus. As we complete our series “Pray Like Jesus,” we’re going to discover the final leg of the prayer that leads us to fight the main battle in life, eyes wide open, and with a different kind of power.
Ever seen a kid who was angry and content to be so? “I’m grumpy and I’m gonna stay grumpy!” It’s almost comical to watch and it doesn’t do anything good for their emotional, mental, or relational well-being. Yet their resistance to let it go is strong. We can be the same way when people hurt us, insisting on making them pay with our cold shoulder, our hurtful words, waiting for them to get what’s coming to them, etc. We too can be “grumpy and I’m gonna stay that way.” But aren’t we justified? Isn’t it right to make others pay if they’ve wronged us? Jesus invites us to forgive those who have wronged us. …but we don’t like that. What is forgiveness? How does it work? Are there limits to forgiveness? And if we forgive, do we just let the perpetrator’s off the hook? As we continue our series “Pray Like Jesus,” join us as we explore these questions and Jesus’ invitation to allow forgiveness to shape who we are and how we live all of life.
Are you the kind of person that goes to the grocery store often to get what you need each day or do you go to the grocery store occasionally and stock up on the things that you will need for the coming weeks? I do a little bit of both. Obviously stuff that doesn't last long like fresh fruits and vegetables need to be bought often. But staples like cereal, cooking oil, paper goods, etc... I try and stock up on so I don't need to worry about having them for awhile. Our shopping behavior is based on how we can provide for our daily needs. Sometimes its day by day, other times its week by week or month by month. As we continue our new series Praying Like Jesus and diving into the Lord's Prayer, we get to the line "Give us today our daily bread." What exactly does Jesus mean when he tells us to pray to God for our daily needs? What's the point if we are almost always able to provide for ourselves what we need to survive?
If you’ve ever watched a 5 year old soccer game, it’s pretty entertaining. Often they just form a pack around the soccer ball and lose track of where they’re supposed to go. It’s not uncommon for a kid or two to start taking the ball in the opposite direction and attempt to score on their own goal. Any sideline viewer can legitimately ask, “What team are these kids playing for? And which direction are they supposed to go?” We all can lose our way at times in life and start playing for the wrong team and go in the wrong direction. An outside observer could also ask of us, “Who are they playing for? Which direction are they supposed to be going?” As we continue our series “Pray Like Jesus,” join us as we discover the power of playing for God’s team and go in God’s direction as we pray “Your kingdom come. Your will be done.”
When do you pray? And what does your prayer life look like?
Odds are, you do pray. The vast majority of people admit to doing so recently, even atheists (no joke!). The question really is not whether or not you do, but what does it look like? And is it satisfying? Effective? Powerful?
If we’re honest, most of us are drawn to prayer when we need something. A parking space. A way out of trouble. Help with that longing that’s causing heartache. Extra grace after another bad decision. Though we reach out, it’s not often (perhaps even rare) that our prayers are answered the way we want them to. It can all leave us feeling dissatisfied, empty, alone, discouraged and even angry.
But is this all that prayer is for? Getting help in trouble? Is there something we’re missing? Could God have more for us in prayer?
Find out more in our brand new series, starting Sunday, as we learn how to “Pray Like Jesus.”
Summer is coming! Most of you are probably excited, maybe some of you are dreading it but no matter what, it's coming! Summer is a built in time every year to get away, to take time off of work, to go on vacation, to see distant family, to enjoy, rest and restore. It’s ok to check out a bit from work and school and the normal daily stresses but if we check out from God and his Church this Summer we will find ourselves going into the Fall stressed, discouraged, tired and disconnected. This Sunday, discover the opportunities God has for us this summer to relax, restore and stay connected.
“Where am I headed? What’s next for me? And who am I really?” are all questions we can wrestle with as we contemplate our place in this world. These questions can leave us questioning ourselves and our future and leave us restless.
But what if there was a way to get rid of the insecurities? What if there was a way to have unshakable confidence about our future and ourselves? Find out Sunday as we continue our teaching series “Disruptive Peace” focusing on discovering God’s peace about our future.
The world is not a safe place. Turn on the news and you’ll find ample evidence. Every time we walk out the door, we take a step of calculated risk. Nothing’s guaranteed. This is the stuff that can fuel anxiety. And no matter how much progress we can make in science, economy, or technology to mitigate risk, none of these by themselves can kill anxiety. Americans, despite living in one of the most developed countries, are among the most anxious people on the planet, according to global happiness reports. If this is true, why is this so? And what can we do to quell some of the anxiety that we face on a regular basis? Find out on Sunday, as we continue our series “Disruptive Peace” and discover God’s remedy to still anxiety and fear and replace it with lasting peace.
Death is not a pleasant subject to talk about. Most of us avoid it if we can. In our “pursuit of happiness” it rarely hits the “can’t wait to talk about it” list. Yet the chances of mortality are 100% for all of us.
So what do we do about our awkwardness, fears, even anxiety, about death? Is it possible to not only deal with death, but to have deep peace about it?
Find out as we continue our series “Disruptive Peace” and discover the reality of “rest in peace.”
Our individualistic, western culture has trained us to keep our faith private and to merely coexist with others, as if what we believed most did not really truly matter in public life. But is that true? Should we keep what’s most sacred to us, truths we believe go beyond personal preference and choice, to ourselves? As we unpack the message in our “Disruptive Peace” series today, we’re going to look at how to share peace with others, and not just any peace, but the peace of Jesus for a world in need.
Yes, we should…
“Turn the other cheek.”
“Lend to those who ask of you.”
And even…
“Love our enemies.”
But what if you’ve got someone in your life who is …toxic? They’ve consistently abused your time, your energy, your resources, etc. and they do not show any signs of any healthy choices or care for you or others. What do you do with people like that?
It can be tempting to go in one extreme or another – keep giving them your time, attention, and resources, because it’s “the Christian thing to do,” or simply write them off, cancel them, and never give them the time of day again.
What would Jesus do? What did Jesus teach?
Every relationship has conflicts, disagreements and sometimes all out wars. How we handle those conflicts will determine the quality of those relationships. Whether they die or whether they not only survive but thrive.
Some of us aren't shy about getting into conflict at full speed. Others of us avoid conflict. Some of us need to be right at all costs, others of us want peace but aren't willing to pay the cost. But both approaches only lead to a false sense of peace, not the real peace we so desperately need.
This Sunday join Jesus as he steps into conflict and so expertly navigates it that all sides are transformed and discover the path to true peace that only he can bring. You might mend a friendship, restore a family, or save a marriage.
Bring a friend and join us at either or our in person services: 9am & 10:45am or watch us online.
See you there!
This Easter Sunday we're celebrating the RISEN SAVIOR who changed everything for us! Join us as we launch our Disruptive Peace series. We're going to be inviting everyone to welcome the disruptive peace of God into their lives, refusing to settle for false peace and learning to deal with what's hard to find - the lasting peace we desire. This week we move to two services -- 9:00am and 10:45am--Invite a friend and join us at 27 Burke St.
What do you do when life is not what you expected? We thought marriage would be better, or at least easier. We thought parenting wouldn’t be so difficult. It gets infinitely harder when there is loss involved, loss of loved ones, loss of hopes and dreams, loss of health, etc. When we go through these unexpected disappointments or losses in life it is easy to look at God and wonder, “If you real, where are you? If you’re good, why is this happening? You’re not who I thought you were.” What do you do with these questions? Find out in our one-off message: “This is Jesus” as we explore who the real Jesus is in a season of anticipating Easter.
Let's be honest-we all like being liked. We love being loved. And with very few exceptions, we tend to avoid conflict at all costs. But what if the story we were created for, the life that is TRULY life, runs counter to the culture we find ourselves surrounded by? How will we react when pressure, resistance, and conflict arrive at our doorstep? Do we panic? Rage? Wave the white flag of surrender? Or is there a harder, more costly, but ultimately far better way to respond available to us? Join us this Sunday as we wrap up our "Anchored" series by exploring how being anchored in the one true King and Kingdom transforms how we prepare for and respond to whatever threatening storms may surround us.
“Should have known better.” Not a fun phrase to utter. Mostly because it comes on the other side of a bad decision. Sometimes a reckless decision. It’s said not when the information was lacking, or the opportunity to make a different decision was lacking. It’s said when all that was in place, and a poor decision was STILL made. Lot of pain on the other side of that statement. Should you know better? Are there decisions you’re about to make that will leave you saying this? Ever heard “the writing’s on the wall”? It’s a phrase taken straight out of Daniel 5, referencing the reckless choices the king of Babylon had made and the disastrous consequences the came his way. This is where we’re going today: why do we make reckless choices, even when we know better? And how do we avoid the disastrous consequences and avoid the condemning words “writing’s on the wall?” Join us this Sunday as we continue our series Anchored: Securing a Confident Faith in a Restless World and find the answers.
Many people in our culture have increasingly found themselves more and more distanced from organized religion. Who’s to blame them? Church-going people of faith are often portrayed as naive, bigoted, narrow-minded, anti-science, and other negative things. …and then there are those who call themselves Christians who back up these sentiments with the hateful things they say and their lifestyles that look no different from anyone else in our polarized, divided world. The result is an increasing polarization between those who wonder why the church would have any relevant value in their lives and those who are feeling threatened by secular culture. The question is not how to make religious gatherings relevant again, but how do real followers of Jesus reveal how incredible Jesus' life actually is and become so anchored in their faith in Him that nothing rocks their soul or their life of love for a world in need? Find out in our new series “Anchored” discovering how to develop a secure faith in a restless world. You may just find that the deep security we have in Jesus may propel us to a certain quality of life that will in turn grab the attention of a skeptical world.
A little wind can blow a ship off course if it’s not ruthlessly directed by a compass and if the rutter isn’t holding steady to the course. Though many followers of Jesus might hold to certain doctrinal beliefs that doesn’t necessarily translate to a convicted lifestyle, as many professing Christians show no statistical difference in lifestyle areas such as gambling, getting drunk, lying, divorce, etc. Could it be that we think we’re heading in the right direction, but the wind has blown us off course because we’ve forgotten our compass and lost our rutter? This Sunday as we continue our series Anchored: Securing a Confident Faith in a Restless World we’re going to talk about the possibility and the power of living by conviction, no matter the cost.
We wouldn’t trust our life on a ship that wasn’t seaworthy but we often trust our life to a kingdom that is not life-worthy. Puffing is a practice where exaggerated commendations are made for promotional purposes. Like any good salesman our culture will "puff" up what it's trying to get us to commit our life to. Not really lying but not telling us the truth either. This Sunday as we continue our series Anchored: Securing a Confident Faith in a Restless World we will see the choice we have... to build our life in a kingdom that will not last or build our life in a kingdom that will withstand all and live forever. Where will you and those you love choose to live?
If you recently saw the Super Bowl you know that one of the main draws are the commercials. Companies spend, on average, roughly $7 million on a 30-second commercial. Why?? Digital Marketers estimate that the average American sees between 4,000 to 10,000 ads per day. And they all have one goal: to monetize your attention. Because they know that if they can hold your attention, they can steer your affections.
Many people in our culture have increasingly found themselves more and more distanced from organized religion. Who’s to blame them? Church-going people of faith are often portrayed as naive, bigoted, narrow-minded, anti-science, and other negative things. …and then there are those who call themselves Christians who back up these sentiments with the hateful things they say and their lifestyles that look no different from anyone else in our polarized, divided world. The result is an increasing polarization between those who wonder why the church would have any relevant value in their lives and those who are feeling threatened by secular culture. The question is not how to make religious gatherings relevant again, but how do real followers of Jesus reveal how incredible Jesus' life actually is and become so anchored in their faith in Him that nothing rocks their soul or their life of love for a world in need? Find out in our new series “Anchored” discovering how to develop a secure faith in a restless world. You may just find that the deep security we have in Jesus may propel us to a certain quality of life that will in turn grab the attention of a skeptical world.
Ever forgotten why something was important to you over time? Could be that you started your job because of a passion, but it’s become monotonous. Maybe your marriage started as a flame, and now it’s a flicker. For many, passion can easily be replaced by survival, as we experience low-to-mid level anxiety at a constant simmer. If so, it’s very possible that you’ve forgotten your why. The vision that propels us to do certain things can often fade to the background when routine tasks overwhelm us. Starting this Sunday, we’re going back to the why, to recapture Jesus’ vision for THE church and our church. And in this series not only are we going to dare to dream God’s dreams, but also discover the life-changing, reality-altering beauty God is calling all of us to experience.
We’re going to talk about how to have the BEST SEX EVER. Sex is not something the church often talks about, particularly in a positive light. But God invented it! And He has an awesome plan for it. Sometimes we don’t stay away from broken expressions of sexuality until we know how good God designed it to be ...when we engage it within His good framework.
Ah, marriage!! The pinnacle of relationships, right!? Two best friends, falling in love, and choosing to spend the rest of their lives together. Except divorce rates are still incredibly high, marriage ages are getting higher and marriage rates are getting lower. It's not hard to see marriage is not easy. In the complicated realm of marriage, how do we find the resources to start and develop healthy marriages?
As December days get shorter, the beautiful Christmas lights we experience this time of year are not just fun...they can seem essential to keep us going. The darker the times get, the more we need light. Each Sunday this month in our series "Christmas UnBoxed" we will unwrap a gift from Jesus to change our life and our holiday season.
Ever felt like you couldn’t go to church because you “don’t have all your stuff together?” Or maybe God couldn’t love you? Think again in this series, because you might be JUST the person Jesus was looking to hang with.
Ever felt like you couldn’t go to church because you “don’t have all your stuff together?” Or maybe God couldn’t love you? Think again in this series, because you might be JUST the person Jesus was looking to hang with.
Ever felt like you couldn’t go to church because you “don’t have all your stuff together?” Or maybe God couldn’t love you? Think again in this series, because you might be JUST the person Jesus was looking to hang with.
What you see is not all there is. The Bible says, "We are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world..." (Eph 6:12, NLT). Join us as we study spiritual warfare, angels, demons and the Holy Spirit. Together we'll uncover the Supernatural.
What you see is not all there is. The Bible says, "We are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world..." (Eph 6:12, NLT). Join us as we study spiritual warfare, angels, demons and the Holy Spirit. Together we'll uncover the Supernatural.
Is there any hope? We can't help but ask this question when we get the doc's phone call, when we get fired, when our past haunts us, or a family member dies. Where do we turn when the chips are down? If God is capable of healing us, why does He not do it? Find out where real hope lies as we explore Jesus' power in this new series Hope In The Dark.
Is there any hope? We can't help but ask this question when we get the doc's phone call, when we get fired, when our past haunts us, or a family member dies. Where do we turn when the chips are down? If God is capable of healing us, why does He not do it? Find out where real hope lies as we explore Jesus' power in this new series Hope In The Dark.
Is there any hope? We can't help but ask this question when we get the doc's phone call, when we get fired, when our past haunts us, or a family member dies. Where do we turn when the chips are down? If God is capable of healing us, why does He not do it? Find out where real hope lies as we explore Jesus' power in this new series Hope In The Dark.
We've all wanted to start new habits only to find certain excuses more convenient. "I can't go to the gym today, I'm too busy," or "I know I shouldn't eat that donut, but I don't want to be rude to the party host." What's your excuse? Is it possible that we've made excuses in our faith life that prevent us from experiencing ALL that God has for us? Find out here and how to fight our excuses by going ALL IN.
Life is full of all kinds of people, those we love, like, and those who really rub us the wrong way. How do we live with, care for, deal with, and even learn to love #thosepeople?
Life is full of all kinds of people, those we love, like, and those who really rub us the wrong way. How do we live with, care for, deal with, and even learn to love #thosepeople?
Our culture is media and technology saturated, and if we're not careful it can run our lives. Find out how to put technology in its proper place and reclaim the life God designed us to live in a world of devices.
Our culture is media and technology saturated, and if we're not careful it can run our lives. Find out how to put technology in its proper place and reclaim the life God designed us to live in a world of devices.
Our culture is media and technology saturated, and if we're not careful it can run our lives. Find out how to put technology in its proper place and reclaim the life God designed us to live in a world of devices.
Our culture is media and technology saturated, and if we're not careful it can run our lives. Find out how to put technology in its proper place and reclaim the life God designed us to live in a world of devices.
Everyone needs hope. Find out how the Resurrection gives us a confident and real hope that nothing can shake.
No one likes a phony. Ironically, we all tend to put on masks to impress or fool people, even ourselves. Explore Jesus' teaching on getting rid of these masks and journey through faith authentically.
No one likes a phony. Ironically, we all tend to put on masks to impress or fool people, even ourselves. Explore Jesus' teaching on getting rid of these masks and journey through faith authentically.
No one likes a phony. Ironically, we all tend to put on masks to impress or fool people, even ourselves. Explore Jesus' teaching on getting rid of these masks and journey through faith authentically.
I consider myself spiritual, but not religious"? Find out how Jesus cuts through religion to gives us the pathway to genuine faith in "The Beautiful Way.
I consider myself spiritual, but not religious"? Find out how Jesus cuts through religion to gives us the pathway to genuine faith in "The Beautiful Way.
I consider myself spiritual, but not religious"? Find out how Jesus cuts through religion to gives us the pathway to genuine faith in "The Beautiful Way.
I consider myself spiritual, but not religious"? Find out how Jesus cuts through religion to gives us the pathway to genuine faith in "The Beautiful Way.
I consider myself spiritual, but not religious"? Find out how Jesus cuts through religion to gives us the pathway to genuine faith in "The Beautiful Way.
I consider myself spiritual, but not religious"? Find out how Jesus cuts through religion to gives us the pathway to genuine faith in "The Beautiful Way.
Jesus built a movement that literally changed the world. He began by changing the people inside the movement, but these changed people went on to change the world. So how do you 'win friends and influence people' Jesus style? Find out in SALT & LIGHT
Jesus' counter-intuitive, counter-cultural message and movement that has the power to change the worst of life into the best of life. Come explore with us as we look at perhaps Jesus' most famous and scandalous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount!
Jesus' counter-intuitive, counter-cultural message and movement that has the power to change the worst of life into the best of life. Come explore with us as we look at perhaps Jesus' most famous and scandalous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount!
Jesus' counter-intuitive, counter-cultural message and movement that has the power to change the worst of life into the best of life. Come explore with us as we look at perhaps Jesus' most famous and scandalous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount!
Jesus' counter-intuitive, counter-cultural message and movement that has the power to change the worst of life into the best of life. Come explore with us as we look at perhaps Jesus' most famous and scandalous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount!
Jesus' counter-intuitive, counter-cultural message and movement that has the power to change the worst of life into the best of life. Come explore with us as we look at perhaps Jesus' most famous and scandalous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount!
Ever had questions about the existence of God? Whether you've grown up in church or not, we all have doubts. Where was God when tragedy struck my life? Does science disprove God? Is Jesus the only way? Come join us as we explore these questions.
Ever had questions about the existence of God? Whether you've grown up in church or not, we all have doubts. Where was God when tragedy struck my life? Does science disprove God? Is Jesus the only way? Come join us as we explore these questions.
Ever had questions about the existence of God? Whether you've grown up in church or not, we all have doubts. Where was God when tragedy struck my life? Does science disprove God? Is Jesus the only way? Come join us as we explore these questions.
Ever had questions about the existence of God? Whether you've grown up in church or not, we all have doubts. Where was God when tragedy struck my life? Does science disprove God? Is Jesus the only way? Come join us as we explore these questions.
Do science and faith work together? Everyone has questions. Come join us as we explore topics such as the reliability of the bible and suffering.
What if we were designed to make a difference in the world, and not just in our own lives?
What if we were designed to make a difference in the world, and not just in our own lives?
What if we were designed to make a difference in the world, and not just in our own lives?
What if we were designed to make a difference in the world, and not just in our own lives?
What if we were designed to make a difference in the world, and not just in our own lives?