SunWest Church Weekly Sermon Podcast: Recent Episodes
SunWest Church
2026-08-09: The story of Ruth begins with famine, grief, and impossible decisions, but it ends with hope that changes the course of history. This Sunday we will explore how God weaves redemption through the ordinary moments and messy realities of our lives.
2026-08-02: This Sunday, we continue our Hall of Faith series as we look at the life of Noah. Together, we’ll explore the heart of a God who grieves over a broken world, yet never stops pursuing His people. We discover that God’s delight in Noah reveals His invitation for each of us to walk closely with Him today.
2026-07-26: Have you ever found yourself running from your past, from a difficult conversation, from hurt, or even from God? This Sunday, we'll explore the life of Jacob, a man who spent years on the run before discovering that God was calling him back. Before Jacob could face his brother Esau, he had to wrestle with God and discover a new identity. All are welcome as we explore this powerful story of grace, transformation, and the question we all must answer: What are you running from, and what is God calling you to return to?
2026-07-19: This week is week two of our summer series, “Hall of Faith,” where today we're looking at parts of the story of Abraham and Sarah. While God used Abraham and Sarah in miraculous ways, their struggles to understand what God had called them to, their need to wait on God for decades, and their returning to faith in God again and again are all aspects of faith any follower of Jesus is familiar with. We look to them because while faith is a gift, it does not shield us from struggle, and they teach us how to keep fixing our eyes on Jesus in our own journey.
2026-07-12: Moses is remembered as one of the greatest people in the Bible, yet his story is marked by failure, disappointment, and forty years in the wilderness. So what made his life extraordinary? This Sunday, we'll explore why so many of us settle for lives that are smaller than the purpose God has for us—and how God often does His greatest work in us before He does His greatest work through us.
In this message, we'll explore Jesus' vision of the church as a city on a hill, a people who reflect His love so clearly that others are drawn toward God. Come discover how the church is called to be a beacon of hope today and a glimpse of the coming Kingdom where God's light will make all things new.
2026-06-21: What if your deepest identity isn't what you do, but whose you are? From an abandoned infant in Ezekiel to the wedding feast in Revelation, we'll trace the story of a God who pursues, claims, and is preparing his people for something far better than we've imagined. Join us as we discover what it means to be the Bride of Christ.
2026-06-14: When most people think of church, they think of a place to go. The New Testament paints a very different picture. It describes the church as the Body of Christ—a living, connected, breath-filled entity through whom Jesus continues His work in the world. Join us this Sunday as we discover what it means to belong, why every part matters, and how finding our place in His body helps us become who we were created to be.
2026-06-07: After healing a blind man, Jesus turns to the image of sheep and shepherds to reveal a deeper truth about humanity: we are all sheep in need of a shepherd. But why sheep? Why a shepherd? As we continue our series on “The Church,” we’ll explore John 10 and discover what it means to belong to the flock of God — one flock under one Shepherd.
2026-05-24: “What do you mean by ‘church’?” For many of us, the word comes loaded with assumptions—buildings, services, traditions, or institutions. But is that what Jesus had in mind? Jesus didn’t come simply to start a religion or create an organization. So what was He building?
2026-05-17: We all long for change. More peace. More joy. More patience. More purpose. But in a world telling us to try harder and do more, Jesus offers a different invitation. Jesus says, “I am the true vine,” reminding us that lasting transformation doesn’t come from striving, but from staying connected to Him. Let’s explore together where real change begins. What it means to abide in Christ and discover the life, freedom, and fruitfulness that only He can give.
2026-05-10: In a world that constantly tells us to “live your truth,” Jesus makes a shocking claim: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” This Sunday in our “I AM” series, we’ll wrestle with one of the most important questions ever asked — “What is truth?” — and discover that truth is more than an idea to believe; it’s a person to follow. Because sometimes the hardest part about the truth isn’t hearing it… it’s choosing to follow “it”.
2026-05-03: Not every voice that leads you actually cares for you. Jesus draws a sharp line between the good shepherd, the hired hand, and the wolf—and the difference shows when things get hard. The hired hand protects himself, the wolf takes what isn’t his, but the good shepherd stays, defends, and lays down his life for the sheep. This week, we look at the 4th “I am” statement of Jesus, and consider its implications for our lives.
2026-04-26: Jesus doesn’t just speak about God—He speaks as God. In one of His boldest and most controversial statements, Jesus declares, “Before Abraham was born, I Am.” It’s a claim that confronts every category we try to place Him in and forces a response from all of us. It divided people then and it divides people today. How will you respond? Join us this Sunday as we wrestle with who Jesus really is.
Not a light. Not one option among many.In week two of our I AM series, Jesus invites us out of confusion and into clarity.Because when you see Him for who He is, you finally see everything else more clearly - including yourself.
2026-04-12: In a world full of voices telling you who to be, Jesus steps in and tells you who He is. In the Gospel of John, He doesn’t just teach—He reveals Himself through seven bold “I AM” statements. Each one pulls back the curtain on His identity and invites you to see life, truth, and purpose differently. Join us as we discover not just what Jesus said—but who He is, and what that means for you.
2026-04-05: Good Friday and Easter aren’t just moments we remember—they’re the turning point of history and the invitation into a new kind of life. On Good Friday, we reflect on the weight of the cross and the depth of God’s love for us. On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the victory of Jesus—life over death, hope over despair, and a future that’s been rewritten. Whether you’ve been in church your whole life or you’re just exploring faith, you’re invited to join us at SunWest Church for one of our Good Friday or Easter services. There’s a place for you—and this might be the moment that changes everything.
2026-04-03: Good Friday and Easter aren’t just moments we remember—they’re the turning point of history and the invitation into a new kind of life. On Good Friday, we reflect on the weight of the cross and the depth of God’s love for us. On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the victory of Jesus—life over death, hope over despair, and a future that’s been rewritten. Whether you’ve been in church your whole life or you’re just exploring faith, you’re invited to join us at SunWest Church for one of our Good Friday or Easter services. There’s a place for you—and this might be the moment that changes everything.
2026-03-29: Jesus prepares his disciples for sorrow, grief, and loss, but he doesn’t leave them without hope. He promises a joy that cannot be taken away. This message explores how Jesus tells the truth about suffering, how joy can exist even in the middle of pain, and how the resurrection reminds us that what feels like the end may actually be the beginning of new life. Let our longing for joy be transformed into abundant life.
2026-03-22: Before Jesus went to the cross, He told His disciples something surprising: “It is best for you that I go.” How could that possibly be true? This Sunday, we’re exploring what Jesus meant and why the gift of the Holy Spirit is not a downgrade, but an upgrade. Discover how God is not just with you, but in you, bringing truth, guidance, and transformation to everyday life.
2026-03-15: This week, we arrive at the seventh sign in John—the final miracle before the cross. It’s a story where waiting stretches faith and hope feels buried. Doubt, grief, and disappointment all collide as Jesus arrives four days late. But what looks like the end becomes the stage for one of the greatest revelations of who Jesus is.
2026-03-08: In the Gospel of John, Jesus keeps drawing a line between light and darkness, sight and blindness. In the sixth sign, a man born blind receives his sight—but the real question becomes: who is actually blind? The story challenges a religious mindset that is still alive today. Join us this Sunday and see what happens when Jesus opens our eyes.
2026-03-01: Have you ever set out in a direction, convinced that it was the 'right' thing to do, only to find yourself met with resistance? The disciples obey Jesus and set sail only to find themselves in the midst of a storm. They're rowing hard and going nowhere. Yet it is in that powerlessness that they find something even more powerful than the storm.
2026-02-22: One of Jesus’ most famous miracles begins with something simple: lunch. A hungry crowd shows up, and Jesus feeds them. But the bread was never the point. He wasn’t just filling stomachs — He was exposing a deeper hunger and offering Himself as the only true sustenance. When we come just to take, we miss what He’s really giving.
2026-02-15: “Do you want to get well?” It seems like such a simple question that would lead to an obvious answer. Yet Jesus asks this question more than once because the answer isn’t as obvious as we think it is. Many people don’t want to be well. Many people would rather be a victim than a victor. In this third sign in John’s Gospel, Jesus confronts both paralysis and religious conformity, inviting one man—and all of us—to choose true wholeness.
2026-02-08: Last week, we began our Miracles series, exploring the seven miracles in the Gospel of John - though John calls them signs. These are moments where eternity breaks into the present, where heaven touches earth. John’s hope is that we wouldn’t fixate on the event itself, but on what the sign is pointing to. This week, we turn to the second sign, the healing of the nobleman’s son - a single moment that captures the lifelong tension of faith.
2026-02-01: In the Gospel of John, Jesus’ miracles are never just displays of power. John calls them signs—because they point beyond what Jesus did to who He is, what God is like, and what God is doing in the world. These signs were written not only to impress us, but to compel us to believe and trust in Jesus. If you’ve ever wondered whether there is more to faith than spectacle, more to belief than answers, and more to Jesus than meets the eye—this series is for you.
2026-01-25: Noise. Screens. Busyness. Endless options. Our lives are crowded with things we once chose—and now those things often choose us. The life Jesus invites us into is not accidental or reactive; it is prayerful, purposeful, and profoundly countercultural. As we bring this series to a close, we focus on the one thing every follower of Jesus is called to choose. The one thing may lead to many things, but many things rarely leave room for the one thing.
revealing that unanswered prayer isn't rejection but redirection. We'll discover that God's silence often protects us from requests that would harm us, contradict His purposes, or expose hearts needing realignment. Rather than getting God to bless our plans, prayer is about aligning our desires with His will and deepening our trust beyond what we can see.
2026-01-04: We’re excited to announce a new sermon series, What If We Prayed, inviting our church to seek God together with fresh faith and expectation. As part of this series, we’ll be entering 21 days of prayer and fasting, setting aside intentional time to listen, trust, and grow as a community. Whether you’re new to prayer and fasting or have practiced it for years, this journey is for everyone. Join us and see what God will do in your life.
Did you miss it? The true message of the miraculous birth of Jesus? Too many did. Will you?
The Christmas story fulfills God’s promises throughout history. This week, we’ll look at the earliest one—a brief but powerful promise given thousands of years before Jesus’ birth. For generations, people waited for its fulfillment, but often misplaced their faith in the wrong people out of misunderstanding or impatience. And even with the full light of the Christmas story, we still fall into the same pattern today.
The lives and stories that came before us shape who we are, often more than we realize. This week, we’ll explore how the Gospel of Matthew reaches back to an Old Testament prophecy to reveal a centuries-long story of God’s faithfulness; a promise woven through kings, crises, and choices, all the way to Joseph deciding whether to remain engaged to Mary, now unexpectedly pregnant. And through it all, God was working. God was present. God was, and is, still with us through this promise kept.
2025-12-07 When Isaiah spoke God’s promise into Assyrian darkness, he named a child not yet born: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Seven centuries of waiting. Then Bethlehem.Every title kept. Every promise fulfilled. The government truly on his shoulders—our burdens included.If God kept his biggest promise through a baby in a manger, he’ll keep the one you’re holding onto today. The kingdom grows. The light still breaks through.
2025-11-30 As we enter Advent we are starting a new series: Promises Kept. From Christmas music to ancient songs, we’ll explore how Psalm 98 invites us to remember God’s faithfulness, sing a new song, and rediscover joy. Just as Israel sang of God’s past victory and Mary echoed those promises at Jesus’ birth, we too are invited to remember God’s promises kept. Together we’ll discover how the birth of Jesus fulfills the hopes sung by generations before us.
2025-11-23 This week, we’re looking at Daniel’s most famous moment. He stands firm and loves well in a culture of compromise, and it lands him in a lion’s den. The miracle everyone remembers is that he survived the night—but the real miracle happened long before he ever entered the den. Join us this weekend as we finish our series “Life in Babylon.”
2025-11-16 How would you live if you knew the length of your time on earth? Would that perspective change your priorities and your goals? Daniel speaks truth to power and Babylon again, challenging their short-sighted perspective. Sometimes we can forget that our time on earth is but a breath. Although that perspective can feel heavy, it actually frees us to live with eternal hope and purpose today.
We’ve been following the story of Daniel and his three friends—an inspiring picture of integrity and influence in the midst of Babylon. But what if we’ve been reading it from the wrong perspective? Instead of identifying with Daniel, maybe we’re more like King Nebuchadnezzar—people with power, pride, and something to lose. Join us this week as we explore the King’s dramatic transformation.
Daniel's three friends find themselves face-to-face with the ugliness of Babylon. Their personal convictions become a public ultimatum. Yet they demonstrate a posture, a resolve, and a faith that have made this one of the most beloved stories in Biblical literature. But the story wasn't written down just to be retold; it is intended to be re-lived.
There have been many ‘Babylons’ in history. Many societies and countries have risen to power only to fall shortly thereafter. This week, we look at a prophetic, yet timeless dream that Daniel interpreted for a King. It challenged their true allegiances and hopes then, and it should still challenge ours today. Where does our true hope lie? The invitation for them and for us is to come face to face with the ‘rock bottom’ truth of the dream so we can live with true hope.
Babylon is not a locality—it’s a mentality. God’s people have always faced the challenge of living in “Babylon” without losing who they are or what they’re called to. Yet God also calls His people to influence Babylon. How can we live with conviction while building connection, favour, and influence? Join us as we learn from the roadmap Daniel and his friends left us.
2025-10-12 How do you live with character and integrity in a hostile and contentious culture? How do we stand firm and love well in a culture of compromise? As followers of Jesus, we are called to love God and love people. Loving people involves having the courage and tact to speak truth with grace. Loving God can sometimes mean believing and doing countercultural things. Join us this week as we begin a new series, following the life of Daniel, learning to live in Babylon.
We’re celebrating 30 years of God’s faithfulness at SunWest — and you’re invited to join the story! Whether you’ve been part of our church family for decades or just recently started attending, this milestone weekend is all about reflecting on where we’ve been, celebrating what God is doing, and looking ahead to the future He has for us. Come be part of the celebration — because this is a story worth telling!
Batman and the Joker. Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Frodo and Sauron. Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. Every good story has a hero and a villain—two characters locked in conflict. But have you ever wondered what really separates them? Why we cheer for one and recoil from the other? Truth is, the line between hero and villain is surprisingly thin. And how we respond to that line is what makes our own lives a story worth telling... or one that isn’t.
2025-09-21: All good stories have a guide. Luke had Yoda, Frodo had Gandalf, Harry Potter had Dumbledore, and the Karate Kid had Mr. Miyagi. If we want to live a story worth telling, we too need a guide to help us along the way. Like sheep who need a shepherd, we need the good shepherd to guide us into the lives Jesus has for us. This journey is not done alone, but with the help of others who are living like the people Jesus wants us to become. Discover how, with the guidance of others, we can live a story worth telling.
2025-09-11: What if the very thing we spend our lives avoiding is actually the key to the story we're meant to live?This message tackles our uniquely Canadian talent for conflict avoidance (we apologize when someone steps on our toes!) and reveals why our mental health crisis might be connected to our pursuit of a conflict-free life. Through surprising insights about great stories, thriving relationships, and Jesus' most counterintuitive invitation, discover why the ultimate conflict might just be the ultimate freedom.Spoiler alert: The most dangerous lie isn't what you think it is.
2025-09-07: We’ve all put down a book or turned off a movie that wasn’t worth finishing—it was probably missing the essentials of a good story. The same is true in life. The very elements that make stories compelling are the ones that make our lives meaningful, because they echo the greatest story ever told—the gospel, the story of Jesus. Don’t waste your life. Live a story worth telling.
2025-08-31: We all end up in the wilderness—by choice, by others, by circumstance, and even by God’s leading. But the wilderness is not your home. Follow Jesus through it. Don’t take shortcuts—they only keep you stuck. Jesus went through the wilderness so it would never be your destination.
2025-08-24: After calling down fire from heaven in a great display of faith, Elijah finds himself the very next day alone and afraid in the wilderness. God shows up and meets him in an unexpected way—not through a big display, but in a gentle whisper. This Sunday, we’re going to explore the importance of being more aware of the whisper, as it's God’s voice that sustains us through both the highs and lows.
2025-08-17: This Sunday, we are talking about the greatest rescue mission in history. What happens after we are saved? Through Scripture, the story of the Samaritan woman, and real events, we'll challenge how the Gospel is not just good news to receive but a mission to live out.
2025-08-10: In the dark of night Jacob finds himself alone, wrestling not just with a mysterious man, but with God Himself. This encounter leaves him wounded, renamed, and forever changed. Sometimes God doesn’t show up to comfort you — He shows up to confront you. And that’s where real transformation begins.
2025-08-03: Last week, Brad challenged us to embrace the parts of God we like least because they are often the parts of God we need most. Another aspect of God we wrestle with is Him being our Lord. But what does that mean on a practical level? Let’s dive deeper into the Lordship of Jesus together.
2025-07-27: We all journey through life battling a sense of judgment and condemnation, either trying to prove ourselves or judging others in return. Are you uncomfortable with the truth that God is the ultimate Judge? Do you struggle with how to reconcile that with the Father being perfect love? This message will set you free from the judgments you’ve been living under and your fear of judgment in the future.
2025-07-20: David was chosen and anointed by God—yet his journey led him into the wilderness, marked by betrayal, uncertainty, and delay. Through the story of David and Saul, we’ll explore what it means to wait on God's promises when the future feels out of reach, and how faith is shaped in seasons of waiting.
2025-07-13: Life’s hardest wilderness seasons can leave us feeling lost and uncertain—just like the Israelites in the desert, trying to take matters into their own hand. But in the story of manna, we discover that God’s provision is daily, His presence is constant, and even in the wilderness we can be transformed into people of trust and rest.Let’s explore together what it means to trust God one day at a time and find rest in His moment-by-moment care.
2025-06-29: In Acts 10, God brings two very different people, Peter and Cornelius, into the same story to show that faith was never meant to be lived in isolation. Obedience for one unlocks breakthrough for the other, reminding us that God often moves through community, not just in individuals. This passage isn’t just about personal faith, it’s about shared transformation. If you’re trying to follow Jesus alone, you might be missing half the miracle.
2025-06-22: We have come to the point in Acts where we encounter one of the most famous conversion stories in history. The persecutor becomes the preacher. The enemy of God becomes the friend of God. It happened in a disruptive moment where Saul encounters a brilliant light. Once he encounters the living Jesus he will never be the same... and neither will we.
God’s mission has a church, but despite the incredible events in the first part of Acts, the church remained stationary. It didn’t embark on a mission to move out. However, four years later, that changed. Even though they ultimately accomplished everything God had called them to do, the event that sparked this movement wasn’t something they would have ever sought. Here’s the “uncomfortable" truth: discomfort is often the catalyst for courage.
The early church continued to grow, and with growth arose new challenges that threatened the unity of the church. Filled with the Holy Spirit and faith, seven followers of Jesus answered the call to serve the practical needs of the church, bringing a new level of unity. Among the seven was a disciple named Stephen. In the face of persecution, Stephen rose to the occasion and mirrored the life of Christ. When we have difficulties in life and faith, let’s learn together how we can “rise to the occasion” like Stephen.
2025-06-01: Acts 5 tells how the apostles, empowered by God, performed miracles and boldly preached about Jesus, even when threatened by religious leaders.What made the early followers of Jesus so radically courageous that they were impervious to threats, persecution, and even torture? What did they know and believe that has implications for how we live today? Come and find out what might be the most critical question you will ever have to answer if you’re going to follow Jesus.
2025-05-25: We’ve raced through the first four chapters of Acts. There have been miraculous events and explosive growth. But that didn’t come without its challenges. The 'bigger and better' trajectory of the story has a sudden blip. We encounter in Acts 5 two miraculous deaths from judgment. We may be tempted to skip the story and get back to the ‘positive stuff’. But we must lean in and ask what it was that God took so seriously in the early church. Join us this weekend as we discover that the warning God issued for the first-century church is just as relevant for us today.
2025-05-18: After the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, they boldly went out to proclaim and demonstrate the Good News of the Kingdom of God. But the message of Jesus provoked strong reactions—some were deeply moved and compelled to follow, while others fiercely resisted and sought to silence it.This week, we explore how Jesus, the cornerstone, continues to be either a foundation of hope or a stumbling block even today.
2025-05-11: This week, we begin a new series called "To be continued...". We will consider the growth of the early church and how we are still a part of that ongoing story today.How did the movement Jesus started 2000 years ago transform the entire Roman world in two hundred years and eventually find its way around the globe? On top of the resurrection event that turned skeptics into believers, there was another event. Fifty days after the resurrection, something cataclysmic happened that completely transformed individuals and communities. In fact, Jesus said the mission he gave his disciples wouldn't be possible without it. It was critical then, and it is just as critical today.
2025-05-04: So there was an election this week. Some were thrilled with the result, and some were disappointed. The polarization of our world will continue. But how do you respond? If your candidate won, have you placed all your hope in them? If your candidate lost, is it all doom and gloom and hopeless? Our responses display our true allegiance. The Politics of Jesus does not rely on a political platform to change the world, it relies on something else. What exactly is that something else? Well, that’s what we will tackle this weekend - and the answer might surprise you.
2025-04-27: There’s an election on the horizon. This inevitably leads everyone to consider their values, assess the current world, and take responsibility (or not) for what type of world we want to live in. It also becomes a moment in time (in an increasingly polarizing time) where people of faith live out their understanding of how that faith impacts politics and culture. What does it mean to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God and a citizen of Canada? What party would Jesus vote for? Would he even vote? This week, we begin a two-part series exploring the politics of Jesus and what that might mean for those who claim to be Jesus followers.
2025-04-20: Rejoice! The Lord is indeed risen! Doubts? Disbelief? Come, listen and hear how we know Jesus is alive today and why His defeat of death changes the way we look at life now and forever!
2025-04-18: The most important event in history! We’re celebrating the real and present hope of Jesus. You’re invited to join us this Easter weekend. Today we reflect on the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ.
2025-04-13: The Apostle John began his journey as an arrogant, power-hungry follower of Jesus, driven by ambition and the desire for status. However, through a profound transformation, he became known as the "disciple Jesus loved," learning valuable lessons that revealed the contrast between his perception of success and the true measure of success in God's eyes.
2025-04-06: Thomas was one of the twelve disciples who followed Jesus very closely. We best know him as “Doubting Thomas.” This is a harsh nickname and probably the wrong one. It was not doubt driving Thomas, but his disappointment when his expectations of God did not match his current reality. Like Thomas, we’ve most likely experienced disappointment that has resulted in doubt. Is God really who he says he is? Why did God allow this to happen? Are you even there, God? Can we, like Thomas, sincerely ask to encounter Jesus together in community?
2025-03-30: Peter, one of Jesus' closest friends and one of the most celebrated among the twelve disciples, is often remembered for his bold faith - yet also his frequent failures. This week, we'll explore Peter's journey, particularly the moment he steps out of the boat to walk on water toward Jesus, only to begin sinking when doubt creeps in. Does walking by faith mean we're always called to step out fearlessly, or does God make space for our doubts along the way?
Have you ever wondered what it takes to follow Jesus? We’re not alone in that question. This week we are exploring the journey of two brothers, James and John, also known as the Sons of Thunder. They tended to act impulsively with their own best interests in mind. To follow Jesus, they had to learn to move from self-serving to self-sacrificing. Let’s discover together what it takes to be a disciple, and how we can learn from the lives of the Sons of Thunder.
2025-03-16: Jesus spent his ministry years intentionally shaping twelve individuals who would lead the way when he left. These guys were very different, yet their goal was the same: follow Jesus and be like Jesus. This concept is known as "discipleship". But the implication of being a disciple was unique for each of them, and it also has unique implications for each of us. In this series, we are looking at one of the twelve each week and considering what it meant for them and what it means for us today to be a disciple of Jesus.This week, we’re looking at the disciple named Matthew/Levi. Why did Jesus pick “that guy”?
2025-03-09: Jesus spent his ministry years intentionally shaping twelve individuals who would lead the way when he left. These guys were very different, yet their goal was the same: follow Jesus and be like Jesus. This concept is known as "discipleship". But the implication of being a disciple were unique for each of them, and it also has unique implications for each of us. In this new series, we will look at one of the twelve each week and consider what it meant for them and what it means for us today to be a disciple of Jesus.
2025-03-02: So, let's be real. You've tried to connect in community. It hurt. Being alone is easier. But something in you still wants that deep connection with others. What do you do? This is the inevitable tension that every single one of us will find ourselves in. There are no exceptions. Jesus found himself there, too. Is there something we can learn from him? Listen in as we conclude our series on the loneliness epidemic.
2025-02-23: You can be surrounded by others or be digitally connected to others and feel lonely. That much seems clear, given the epidemic of loneliness our world is going through. What is not as clear, however, is that you can be alone and be connected. In fact, being alone and being lonely are two very different things. Jesus and his followers, throughout history, have practiced the habit of solitude and silence. Could it be that part of the antidote to loneliness is learning to be alone well?
2025-02-16: Romance. Marriage. Singleness. So much of our energy is tied up in romantic relationships. If we don't have one. If we do have one. Sometimes those who are alone want to be in a relationship and those who are in a romantic relationship want to be alone! It seems loneliness can be pervasive in singleness, marriage, and everything in between. Join us this week as we look at what a single celibate jewish leader has to say about marriage, relationships, and contentment.
2025-02-09: It's no secret, we live in a time in history where we've never been more connected and we've never felt more disconnected. Have you ever felt alone in a crowd? Isolated, even when there is so much buzz around you? This epidemic is impacting many of us personally and all of us collectively. Join us for this series as we look at the epidemic of loneliness, how Jesus changes the conversation, the role the church plays, and how quick and easy answers may not be as effective as we think.
2025-02-02: So we made it to the last week of the series. We’ve talked about routines, habits, and steps that we can take to align with who we are and where God has called us. But we’re still missing a piece, the most important piece. True transformation is spiritual transformation, and that comes from God. Does God invite us simply to a self-help movement or a transformative spiritual journey? And how do we go about accessing his power in our lives? You don’t want to miss the conclusion of this series… because the ending could be a new beginning for you.
2025-01-26: "How did they get so lucky?” Have you ever looked at someone's success and thought this? The truth is, it isn’t luck. Successful people make small intentional choices every day that lead to big results over time. We often want results without putting in the work. However, just like planting an apple seed won’t grow an orange tree, the seeds we sow in life determine the harvest we reap. The same applies to our lives. Let’s learn together how we can sow the life and faith we desire.
2025-01-19: Many of us hope to accomplish something one day. Or we hope to not be in a particular situation anymore one day. But hope alone doesn't change your future. Your habits do. Join us this week as we drill down to some practical steps to move beyond hope, to holy habits.
2025-01-12 Have you ever tried to change, and then wound up frustrated because you couldn’t? And then you tried again and weren’t only frustrated but also ashamed that you failed twice (or more)? This is the experience that most of us have in some form. This week we will dive into a surprising and unexpected truth: if you want transformational change in your life, stop trying...come on Saturday or Sunday to find out more!
2025-01-05 A New Year, a New You! Blah… blah… blah… We’ve heard it all before. We’ve tried it all before. Our future goals, hopes, dreams seem to be just as far in the future as they were. We’ve been through this routine before where we want lasting change and just end up back where we are (except more discouraged and defeated). But what if!? What if this was the year where you didn’t just experience some change, but transformation. The thing we tend to miss is that transformation doesn’t start with change, it starts with your identity. Join us this week as we kick off a new series: “I’ll Do It Tomorrow."
Advent. Anticipation. Arrival. What are you waiting for? Something worth living your life for or a substitute? Come, listen as we open the greatest gift ever given and the eternal impact it will have on have on your life.
2024-12-22: The North Pole is the perfect place for Santa to live – it’s filled with snow, it’s mysterious, and most importantly, unreachable. Santa lives at a distance to keep the magic alive and comes but once a year to give presents to those who are on the nice list. Many believe the same about God. Instead of the North Pole, God is far away in a distant and unreachable heaven. The birth of Jesus tells us a different story about God making his home among us. Discover God’s incarnation and how we can experience God’s nearness during the season of Advent.
2024-12-15: Many of us believed in Santa when we were kids. Then there was that day when we "found out" the truth. Maybe it was a friend, an older sibling, something we overheard, or something we saw. We grew up in a moment. We no longer believed the make-believe stories we were told as kids. Isn't it interesting that many people who grow up with an element of faith in God have a similar experience? Is it possible that our culture has told us to "grow up", and stop believing in things you can't touch or see or prove? Is disbelief actually a sign of maturity? Or perhaps we lost something when we left our child-like wonder.
2024-12-08: "He's making a list and checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty or nice…" Do these lyrics describe Santa or God? The "gospel of Santa" tells us that if we behave well enough, we’ll be rewarded on Christmas morning. Otherwise… coal. Could it be that we’ve allowed this performance-based, fear-driven mindset shape our view of the Father? The Gospel of Jesus tells us we are loved purely because we are His sons and daughters. We cannot earn God's grace and love. So, why do we sometimes find ourselves striving to get on God's "nice list"? This Sunday, we'll explore how embracing the "gospel of Santa" instead of the true Gospel affects our understanding of God and how we live our lives.
2024-12-01: Christmas is confusing in our culture. Everyone seems to celebrate it in some form, but it has become something very different than what God's agenda was at that very first Christmas. Is it possible that we've mixed our cultural values with the primary message and mission of God? In this series, we analyze different ways that we have projected cultural views and values upon the gospel of Jesus... possibly even replacing it with the gospel according to Santa.
2024-11-24: Let's try a thought experiment. Imagine someone you loved, and had given your life to be with, was only going to be with you for a moment longer. Now imagine that person was going to sum up everything they wanted from you after they were gone in one actionable idea. Would you lean in? Would you give significant energy in your life to that one thing? I think you would. I think we all would. After Jesus' resurrection, he left us one thing to do. Are we doing it?
2024-11-17: Do you want to do things well? Do them right? Do them excellently? What if that value stops you from doing anything at all? When we choose courage over comfort we choose action over perfection. We give permission for failure because success is in risk-taking obedience, not in perfection. Join us this week as we explore how fear is faith in the wrong thing, and how true faith is following God without worrying about the results.
2024-11-10: When someone asks, "How are you?" we often respond with one of two answers: "I'm doing good." or "I've been busy." These responses can reveal something about us—either that we value independence and don’t need others, or that we find our worth in being productive. While strength and productivity are not inherently bad, they can sometimes contribute to a sense of loneliness. This Sunday, we'll explore how we can embrace those feelings of loneliness, seeing them as signposts that point us toward a deeper connection with Christ and with one another. To practice not doing life alone.
2024-11-03: It seems simple, but yet profound: The lives we live today are often a result of decisions we made yesterday (or earlier in our lives). Our relationships, our careers, our health, our successes, and our failures. What is true individually, is also true corporately. The experience of life together is the culmination of our past decisions and actions. So who do we want to be in the future? And what does that mean for us today? Join us this week as we start a 4 week series called "Family Values".
2024-10-27: In one particular study when non-Christian people answered why they rejected Christianity the results showed the primary reason was the behaviour of Christians. The primary reason had nothing to do with what the Bible says, or teaches, or any conflict with other world-views. The perception and experience that people had with those who claim to be Christian was one that made Christianity unbelievable. Even beyond that, many people point to the atrocities throughout history done by the church as another layer of motivation to reject Christianity. So… let’s talk about it. Join us for our last Sunday in the Problem of God series.
2024-10-20: Let’s be honest, many people don’t want to be a Christian because it has so many rules and seemingly exclusive demands. "What about freedom?" "Why do things have to be so rigid and intolerant?" Our world has a very unique idea of what freedom is and unknowingly we have bought into it. Is it true that a lack of restraint is true freedom? How is that working for us? Maybe what Jesus offers us is the pathway to true freedom.
2024-10-13: Join us this weekend for a ‘hot’ topic. We’re looking at the Problem of Hell. This seems to be, for many, a central barrier to trusting the God of the Bible (for both Christians and non-Christians). But just because we don’t like something doesn’t mean it isn’t true. With so many historical, cultural, religious, and biblical concepts of hell, it is important to ask if we’ve really seen and understood what the Bible says about the after life (and what it doesn’t say). The biblical picture may surprise you, make you feel uncomfortable, or make you feel more hopeful. No matter where you’re coming from, you’ll be stretched and challenged this weekend.
2024-10-06: "If God exists, and is all-powerful, all-knowing, and wholly good, why do evil and suffering exist?" More than any other question, this seems to be one that has made Christianity indefensible for many. It has been a major barrier for people to believe in the God revealed in the Bible. From John the Baptist to you and me, humans have been wrestling with it throughout history. The question is theological, yes, but it's also very personal. Let’s dive into the tension together this weekend.
2024-09-29: "The Bible is outdated." "The Bible isn't reliable." "The Bible is full of contradictions." "The Bible is a fabricated and edited document that was manipulated by people with a hidden agenda." "The Bible is just like every other religious scripture, it contains some truth but isn't any any more trustworthy than others." Have you heard statements like that? Said them? However, just because they're common doesn't mean they're true. Join us this week as we look at the reasons you can have confidence in the Bible as a book that is unique and worth building your life on.
2024-09-22: Everyone has faith. The question of "faith" is a metaphysical question. "Meta" means after, or beyond. After physics, logic, reason we have to make a faith decision. And everyone, whether they can articulate it or not, has to put their faith into something or someone. The question is what do you put your faith in? This does not, however, mean that faith is irrational or illogical. While we might not be able to "prove" the existence (or non-existence) of God, every study of science, physics, biology, philosophy, ethics, morality, etc. are clues. And if we follow the clues, where do they lead?
2024-09-15: In the modern world, religion is seen as a crutch for those who need a pacifier to help them get through life. Is God something that only desperate or uneducated people believe in? Is there any rational and scientific evidence that affirms a faith position? Are science and Christianity at odds? We might be surprised when we look at where the evidence actually points us.
2024-09-08: Do you believe in Jesus beyond a shadow of a doubt? You shouldn't. Many of us have come to believe that we can't have faith and doubt. That leaves us with two options: faking it or never choosing to trust Jesus. Jesus began the movement of his kingdom with a bunch of imperfect doubters.
2024-09-01: God was never intended just to be something to "believe in". A relationship with God is something we can experience. Throughout our community God is transforming lives. Join us this week and be encouraged and inspired as we hear impactful stories of life change.
2024-08-25: Waiting for prayers to be answered can feel like waiting for the rain to fall, yet we are called to pray in all circumstances. How can we move beyond being people who pray, and become people of prayer? Like falling rain, prayer begins to produce a crop of forgiveness, healing, and community.
2024-08-18: Across social media and in our own lives we see varying attitudes to wealth, power and suffering. What does James have to say about the attitudes we should have to wealth, power and suffering? We'll explore how godly attitudes give people a different way forward and help us fulfill our mission as a Church.
2024-08-11: What’s your worldview? Did you know that your worldview serves as the lens through which you perceive reality, shaping your understanding of God, humanity, and your purpose in life? IN this message, we examine how our worldview influences our values, decisions, and actions -- often in ways we may not even realize.
2024-08-04 God was never intended just to be something to "believe in". A relationship with God is something we can experience. Throughout our community God is transforming lives. Join us this week and be encouraged and inspired as we hear impactful stories of life change.
2024-07-28: We continue our Paparazzi series by diving into James chapter three, where we’ll learn how to live out our faith when the world is not only watching… but listening. The Apostle James doesn’t pull any punches when he describes the destructive power of our words. Many of our regrets stem from things we’ve said or failed to say. But if you long to trade words that hurt for words that heal, this message is for you.
2024-07-21: Have you ever gone the wrong way on a one-way street? It can be disastrous. What is dangerous in a vehicle is also hazardous in religion. This week we look at a simple little nuance that has an exponential life-changing effect. And if we miss it we may end up going the wrong way! Are you going the right way? Join us this week and find out.
Sticks and stones may break my bones... but words will never hurt me. An age-old saying that carries little truth. Words can break trust, hurt relationships, and lose jobs. They can hurt for a lifetime. The book of James has a lot to say about how we conduct ourselves in the things we say and how we practice our faith. Join us this week as we challenge ourselves to consider if we are merely checking off religious boxes, or authentically allowing God’s Word to impact our lives.
2024-06-30: There are cameras everywhere. iPhones, computers, traffic lights, surveillance cameras... not to mention the reality that the phone you're carrying tracks where you are going and listens to what you are saying. This is not a series about conspiracy theories. This is a series about the truth that it is increasingly difficult to live a double life. Who you are will eventually be revealed. But for the follower of Jesus, your faith was always intended to be reflected in how you live. This is what the book of James is all about. Join us on a journey of authentic self-confrontation. This week we start our new series: PAPARAZZI - Living Out Your Faith In a World Where Everyone is Watching.
2024-06-23: Bruce and his wife Lisa live in Saskatoon, have been married 35 years, and have four adult daughters. Bruce pastored at Forest Grove Community Church for 21 years and has been the General Director of Multiply for the past two years. He loves to help connect the church locally and globally, and this week's message will focus on different aspects of what it means to be 'lost' and how Jesus continually invites us into a bigger kingdom story.
2024-06-16: As we look back on this series, we have talked about why the church exists and what the church is all about, but we haven’t yet talked about how the church should be. Jesus set an example for the church to emulate. He showed us how to use whatever influence and power we might have in this world. Unfortunately, sometimes this is not the posture people think of when they think of the church. Join us this week as we reflect on the life of Jesus and challenge ourselves to follow his example.
2024-06-09: Through history, more so than today, families often had a business. A business that would be passed on through the generations. Perhaps a farm, perhaps a service company, or a trade that was learned from the older generation. If one of the primary metaphors for the church is family, what would be the family business? What is the work that the family of God has been entrusted to continue?
2024-06-02: People in church often talk about "living a full and meaningful life". But do you ever feel for all that talk your life just doesn't seem to match up? It feels too fast. Too mundane. Too much work. Not enough joy and peace. But what if Jesus was serious about this fulness of life and peace stuff? What if there was a gift waiting for you that could be the remedy for all that angst? Jesus said there was. Maybe it's time to take a risk on opening the gift he gave you.
2024-05-26 We live in an undercurrent of aloneness, not enough-ness, and anxiousness both in our culture and the present paradigm of church. And yet the church was never supposed to be an event, building, or an institution. It was meant to be a family with a DNA of secure attachment. Interesting! When kids are seen, soothed, safe and secure they flourish but we can’t give that to them unless we ourselves are flourishing. So how do WE flourish in a cultural undercurrent of aloneness, not enough-ness and anxiousness? Join us this Sunday with our special guest speaker, sociologist James Penner, to find out.
2024-05-19 Dinner time is when we can come together as a family and get caught up. We feel welcomed, we share experiences, and enjoy a common meal. It's a place where we feel like we actually belong, we are valued, and we find identity. The Lord's Table is one such meal. It is a time and a place where all arewelcomed to remember what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross,but we can also celebrate the redemption that we have in Jesus, in real time -the present. The Lord's Table also points us forward into a future hopethat includes the banquet of all banquets at the end of time, where we will allbe served, by the Lord Himself.
When we look around we can see that the distrust of institutions is at an all-time high. Many people are deciding that church as they know it "is not for them". We also live in an epidemic of loneliness, isolation, and anxiety. What if what people are looking for is the very thing the church was intended to provide? The church was never supposed to be an event, building, or an institution. Join us for this series as we jump off Sky Jethani's book and ask the question: What if Jesus was serious about the church?
SunWest has, for many years, strategically partnered with Compassion Canada to help release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. We are joined this week by a Compassion alumni. Come and hear the story of life change that can happen when we do for the one what we wish we could do for the many. You may not be able to change the world, but you can help change someone’s world. Join us this Sunday as you will be inspired and challenged to make a difference.
We’ve spent a few weeks looking at Cancel Culture and how the death and resurrection of Jesus should impact our postures as followers of Jesus. Last week we talked about confronting other followers of Jesus in a redemptive way. This week we will address the topic of how the church should impact and respond to other people, groups, and authorities in a cancel culture. We invite you to come with an open heart as we explore the counter-cultural power of God’s Kingdom.
Last week we considered how condemning, shaming, and calling out is a reflection of cancel culture’s attempt to control others. This does not reflect the kingdom culture of Jesus. But the question remains, when someone is acting and living in ways contrary to God’s Kingdom how should we respond? This Sunday we begin a two-week response to that question.
You can see what’s wrong with them. You know what people should have done and what they shouldn’t have done. You’ve been hurt and offended. At that point, you're at a crossroads. You can choose to walk in Kingdom Culture (the way of Jesus) or Cancel Culture (the way of the world). This week we look at one of the most well-known but least implemented sayings of Jesus.
For the last five years, this word (or at least what it represents) has dominated the cultural, religious, political, and personal landscape. Individuals, businesses, and people groups can get canceled in a moment. The result is a culture of fear-mongering, threats, power games, and crowd-pleasing. The playground where this bullying plays out is social media. What does it look like to follow Jesus in a cancel culture? What if "they" are clearly in the wrong? What if I've been canceled? Even though this feels "new", it's not. Jesus was canceled. He has shown us the way to live in a volatile polarizing culture and he has invited us to follow him.
Celebrate with us as we see the culmination of God's plan for eternal life for us all through the resurrection of Jesus and listen how this too was a sign of things to come foretold through the events in Bethany. He is risen indeed!
God's plan for the redemption of all people has been in place far longer than we at times imagine. Listen as we see how God foretold centuries before the events of Good Friday, through the Passover meal, the enduring sacrifice of Jesus as we reflect, celebrate, and discover more of what Easter means for us today.
Have you ever made a wish? Did it come true, and was it everything you hoped it would be? A celebrity once said, "God punishes us by giving us everything we want." The children of Israel experienced this as they asked God for a king. God gave them their wish, but it didn't quite turn out the way they were thinking. Why was that? Are we any different, as we list off all the things that we think might make our lives better? Do we treat God as the real king of our hearts, or do we treat him as if he were a magical genie, granting our wishes? As we enter Holy Week, starting with Palm Sunday, let's be careful of what we wish for.
Where was God on Good Friday? Was he standing at a distance punishing Jesus? Was he turning his back on Jesus at his weakest moment? When Jesus spoke his last words, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?", what was happening? Perhaps the key to understanding this world-altering mystery is found 1000 years before Jesus spoke those last words.
The word gospel means good news. The good news that the Bible talks about was revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But Jesus revealed something profound after his resurrection…this good news was being revealed, foreshadowed, and talked about since the beginning of time. People just couldn’t see it until after the resurrection. This week we look at the concept of “glory” and God’s "presence”. God always desired to be fully present with his people, but his presence put them in danger. The cross became the resolution to this divide. It is the beautiful collision of heaven and earth, of human and divine.
The word gospel means good news. The good news that the Bible talks about was revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But Jesus revealed something profound after his resurrection…this good news was being revealed, foreshadowed, and talked about since the beginning of time. People just couldn’t see it until after the resurrection. This week we look at the “deal” that God cut a few millennia ago with Abraham. We will understand more deeply how the Cross became the profound fulfilment of God’s love and justice.
The word gospel means good news. This good news was revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But Jesus revealed something profound after his resurrection…this good news was being revealed, foreshadowed, and talked about since the beginning of time. People just couldn’t see it until after the resurrection. As we head towards Easter, join us as we take the road back through the early scriptures to see The Gospel BC.
Look at any movie, book, or painting and you are bound to encounter the human need for connection with other human beings. We are wired for relationships (friendships, romantic relationships, family relationships). This can lead to the assumption that our deepest longings are realized only when we complete the puzzle by finding that missing piece. But is that person, really the missing piece? Join us this week as we talk about parenting: how our relationships with our children can't complete us, and the damage it does when we assume they will.
Everyone has an invisible 'friendship code' that shapes, hurts, or helps our friendships. God wants to fix our friendship code and fasten it to Jesus...but how?
Look at any movie, book, or painting and you are bound to encounter the human need for connection with other human beings. We are wired for relationships (friendships, romantic relationships, family relationships). This can lead to the assumption that our deepest longings are realized only when we complete the puzzle by finding that missing piece. But is that person, really the missing piece? Join us for this series as we explore how our relationships can't complete us, and the damage that does when we assume they will.
In our world today we can have same-day delivery, fast food, instant entertainment, instant communication with whomever we want, and a search engine or chat GPT to give us answers to any of our questions. We have all been shaped by this culture of speed, and because we want it, we assume it's good. But how has this shaped our faith? How has this shaped our ability to process things in a healthy way? In a world that tells you that your opinions, preferences, and comfort are the most important thing, we have added an expectation of immediacy. This combo can provide the knockout punch to our spiritual formation...unless we learn to slow down and tend our heart.
Over the last couple of weeks, we have talked about Deconstruction, what it is, and why we get there. When Deconstruction is done well with the right motive it can be a source of tremendous growth in our lives. But how do we go about that “reconstruction” process? Join us this week and next as we look at how to reconstruct our faith well.
Over the last decade the word Deconstruction has been used, claimed, and tossed around quite a bit. It is a word that is intended to describe someone's journey away from faith. But did you know that questions and doubts are a part of faith not an enemy of faith? Perhaps it’s our understanding of faith that needs to be deconstructed. Deconstruction is a normative and healthy part of the faith journey. What if deconstruction wasn’t the destination but one stop on the journey of reconstruction and growth? Join us as we explore what it means to question your faith without losing it.
Over the last decade the word Deconstruction has been used, claimed, and tossed around quite a bit. It is a word that is intended to describe someone's journey away from faith. But did you know that questions and doubts are a part of faith not an enemy of faith? Perhaps it’s our understanding of faith that needs to be deconstructed. Deconstruction is a normative and healthy part of the faith journey. What if deconstruction wasn’t the destination but one stop on the journey of reconstruction and growth? Join us as we explore what it means to question your faith without losing it.
It’s the time of year we’ve all been waiting for. In fact, the word Advent means waiting. Beyond the cultural parts of this season that we all wait for, there is a universal longing in every human heart that awaits the presence of God, purpose, eternity, rescue, and deliverance. Christmas is the story of God’s response to every longing heart. Come celebrate with us.
A wishlist at Christmas can tell you a lot about the person who wrote it. It can tell you about their dreams, goals and aspirations. It can also tell a lot about someone when they don’t get what’s on their list. But maybe when we don’t get what we want we’ll be more open to considering what’s on God’s Wishlist.
Jonah is a story that has captured the imagination of children and adults alike throughout history. It’s the story of someone who ran from the call of God. It’s the story of a God who cared too much about a city to let that person run away from their call. The fact that Jonah wasn’t perfect didn’t stop God from using Jonah. We are Jonah.
Jonah is a story that has captured the imagination of children and adults alike throughout history. It’s the story of someone who ran from the call of God. It’s the story of a God who cared too much about a city to let that person run away from their call. The fact that Jonah wasn’t perfect didn’t stop God from using Jonah. We are Jonah.
Jonah is a story that has captured the imagination of children and adults alike throughout history. It’s the story of someone who ran from the call of God. It’s the story of a God who cared too much about a city to let that person run away from their call. The fact that Jonah wasn’t perfect didn’t stop God from using Jonah. We are Jonah.
Many of us use prayer as a last resort when life goes sideways or things don’t go according to plan. But Jesus taught a different posture. He taught that prayer is the first option. In fact, Jesus taught that we (that includes you!) could personally hear God’s voice and that this personal connection would be the source of living life in all its fullness. Join us this week as we conclude our Words To Live By series by ironically ending with the thing we should always do first.
When the first followers of Jesus chose to follow him they knew intuitively they were embracing a life of risk. When hardship and challenges came their way they weren't seen to back down, they chose to buckle down. They chose courage over comfort. Many today see Jesus as the key to a comfortable life. Let’s not confuse the peace that Jesus brings with worldly comfort. May we rediscover the call to risk.
There’s probably one thing that everyone in the world can agree on…there are a lot of problems in the world. But most people assume the “real” problem is out there. Consequently our hope for change often is out there somewhere too. But what if we take the Bible seriously and believe the real problem is in the human heart. If that’s true, then real transformation doesn’t start out there, it starts in me and it starts in you.
Have you ever been so excited about something that you weren’t able to keep it to yourself? Why is it that many Jesus followers say that Jesus is the most important thing in their life, yet they are very reluctant to even talk about him? Jesus was all about breaking barriers and encountering people that were far from him. When his followers "got it" they too began to believe they couldn’t keep Jesus and everything he had done to themselves. Are we willing to follow their lead and break barriers so that anyone can join us on the journey of following Jesus?
Sometimes maintenance is good. Staying on top of your dental cleanings, doctor check-ups, and oil changes is important. We do maintenance when we want something to stay the same as long as possible. But God doesn’t want everything to stay the same. God wants us to experience growth and transformation and for others to experience that too! Jesus invites us not to maintain but to multiply.
Jesus had some very strong words for some people. That’s not surprising. The surprising thing is that his strongest words were reserved for the religious community. They lacked an awareness of their own condition while they were quick to judge the condition of others. This prevented them from receiving the gift God had for them, and it prevented others from experiencing it too. Jesus invited everyone to come and experience transformation…everyone except, perfect people.
Words create. In the beginning God spoke creation into existence. Today when we speak we can bring things into existence. We can build up and tear down, and we can create cultures and environments through our words. The words we choose will shape us over time. Join us for this six week series as we look at the values of SunWest… the words that we have chosen to live by.
It’s a wonderful time of the year! The SunWest ministry year begins again. Invite your family and friends for a celebratory Kick-Off service, with a free hot dog bbq lunch and family activities provided after.
In a world of judgment and outrage, Jesus calls us to adopt a different posture—one that enlists us in his kingdom-come mission.
When we feel like the odds are against us, just remember that God is for us and we too can be people of faith. The bottom line is: God has called us, he equips us, and then he sends us out to accomplish his mission in the world. All we need to do is make ourselves available, remain faithful to his call, and to obey!
This week we continue our God and the Underdogs series. If you have ever felt unqualified, unsure, or unseen… you’re in good company! God delights in using people like you to make a difference. Kelvin Block is joining us to bring the message this Sunday. We are excited to hear what God has put on Kelvin’s heart to share with us!
This week we continue our God and the Underdogs series. If you have ever felt unqualified, unsure, or unseen… you’re in good company! God delights in using people like you to make a difference. Brad Huebert is joining us to bring the message this Sunday. We are excited to hear what God has put on Brad’s heart to share with us!
When we feel like the odds are against us, just remember that God is for us and we too can be people of faith. The bottom line is: God has called us, he equips us, and then he sends us out to accomplish his mission in the world. All we need to do is make ourselves available, remain faithful to his call, and to obey!
When we feel like the odds are against us, just remember that God is for us and we too can be people of faith. The bottom line is: God has called us, he equips us, and then he sends us out to accomplish his mission in the world. All we need to do is make ourselves available, remain faithful to his call, and to obey!
Often referred to as magic words, they can work wonders. Nothing opens doors like "please". Nothing mends fences like "sorry". Nothing builds bridges like "thanks". Asking, apologizing, and appreciating can revolutionize relationships. This is not only true of human relationships but of our relationship with God. Join us in this series as we learn how to incorporate these three simple words in prayer and experience a deepened relationship with God.
Often referred to as magic words, they can work wonders. Nothing opens doors like "please". Nothing mends fences like "sorry". Nothing builds bridges like "thanks". Asking, apologizing, and appreciating can revolutionize relationships. This is not only true of human relationships but of our relationship with God. Join us in this series as we learn how to incorporate these three simple words in prayer and experience a deepened relationship with God.
Often referred to as magic words, they can work wonders. Nothing opens doors like "please". Nothing mends fences like "sorry". Nothing builds bridges like "thanks". Asking, apologizing, and appreciating can revolutionize relationships. This is not only true of human relationships but of our relationship with God. Join us in this series as we learn how to incorporate these three simple words in prayer and experience a deepened relationship with God.
Have you ever walked into a space and immediately felt like you didn't belong? Have you had the opposite experience where you felt like you belonged? That feeling can change everything. In faith circles we often reflect on the importance of behaviour and belief, but most people need to have a sense of belonging before they alter any behaviour or belief. As we look ahead to our biggest community event of the year, lets take time to explore the importance of hospitality and how one experience of belonging can change the trajectory of someones life.
So here we are. We are at the end of the book of Revelation and consequently the end of history as we know it. But the ending is actually a beginning! This is not what most were expecting. How we understand the future significantly changes the way we live in the present. While it may look like the world is unraveling before us, Jesus gives John a picture of the future where are all things will be made new. It really is a good news apocalypse!
We are now in the penultimate week of our series on the book of Revelation. Before we get to the new heavens and the new earth, we encounter numbers and images that are only mentioned here - yet have dominated many people's thinking and understanding of the end of the world. We are introduced to a thousand-year reign (what's that all about?), the final battle (again? I thought we already did that!), the Book of Life, and more... It's time to apply what we have been learning to make this millennium madness manageable.
Like the word apocalypse, Armageddon has been a very misunderstood concept. For many, it is a critical idea to how they understand what will happen at the end of time. It is perceived as a violent end of the world war. We are confronted in the book of Revelation that the Apocalypse is good news, and it turns out that Armageddon isn't the blood bath many think it is. The climactic battle turns out to be very ant-climactic! Armageddon is a war...that never happens.
It's springtime, and among other things this means it's wedding season. Couples who got engaged over this last year are "tying the knot" as they gather their friends and family to witness the covenant and union of two people. The scene of a wedding and marriage is one of the dominant images in the book of Revelation (and the Bible). But who's getting married? And did you get an invite?
As we get to the last quarter of the Book of Revelation we are introduced to two cities: Babylon and the New Jerusalem. The city of the Dragon and the city of God. Babylon, for the first-century followers of Jesus, was Rome and its empire. But every stage in history has Babylons; cities, and cultures that are moving Jesus out of the centre to the fringes of society. Are we living in Babylon? If we are, how do we live as citizens of the New Jerusalem when we live in Babylon?
Judgment is good news? Well, it depends on who you're asking. Many people feel that the judgment we read about is at odds with the loving God we read about. Yet as we'll see this week they are intrinsically linked and it may be our vantage point that is distorting our ability to see it.
The beasts in Revelation have been the source of fear, speculation, and predictions about the future. This week we will see that it is not as complicated as it has been made it out to be. Through these images, Jesus actually intended to give us clarity on how to follow him today. In fact, what Revelation 13 tells us is something I believe you already know intuitively. These last few years you have felt the temptation to follow the beast of the sea and the beast of the earth. Let's name it, and follow the Lamb instead.
This week we look at the centre of the book of Revelation, it is actually the central message of the book for the church. In Revelation 12 we are brought back to the Christmas story. There is something about that story that continues to help us understand what is going on in our story. As we look around our world today we can honestly say, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas".
As we continue to journey into the middle of John's Apocalypse we are bombarded and perhaps overwhelmed by a multitude of numbers and intense images. But we don't need to throw up our hands and give up. Using the Old Testament as a guide we see a picture painted that is intended to encourage the church to follow the way of Jesus. We will discover that the good news is better than we think and that everything is not as it seems.
While it is easy to make almost everything else a top priority in our lives (success, financial well-being, happiness, leisure, etc.), Jesus prioritizes spiritual health above all else. What does "spiritual health" even mean—and what would it look like to pursue this area of health? In the language of business and leadership, what are the big rocks if we care about spiritual health? Listen in as guest speaker Ken Esau, our CCMBC National Faith & Life Director, explores and challenges us on this topic.
This weekend we get to celebrate the most life-changing event in history. There is something that happened in the first century that caused eyewitnesses to radically change their lives. They counted their lives as nothing compared to the greatness of following Jesus. That event is still beckoning people to leave life as they know it and embrace a radical new way of living. Join us Friday and Sunday as we contemplate how the death and resurrection of Jesus continues to transform lives today.
This weekend we get to celebrate the most life-changing event in history. There is something that happened in the first century that caused eyewitnesses to radically change their lives. They counted their lives as nothing compared to the greatness of following Jesus. That event is still beckoning people to leave life as they know it and embrace a radical new way of living. Join us Friday and Sunday as we contemplate how the death and resurrection of Jesus continues to transform lives today.
What sort of pictures fill your mind when you think about Palm Sunday? Joyful cheers, Jesus on a donkey, maybe some kids singing a song while waving branches. The church calendar points us to remember this story every year before Easter, but why? This week we will immerse ourselves in the first Palm Sunday experience and explore how it shows us what we can expect from God this Easter.
As we wrap up Missions Month, we celebrate the fact that SunWest is on mission. We have partnered with work in international locations in Australia and Papua New Guinea, El Salvador, Burma, Thailand, Hawaii, Mexico, as well as locally across Calgary and in our own communities. The Gospels also invite us, as followers of Jesus, to be involved in mission. We are called to share what we love and help make the name of Jesus famous. We all have an active part to play.
When Jesus returns again what is going to happen? Many assume he is coming to rescue the church before the earth is destroyed. But is this actually an idea found in the Bible? This week we will look at why what we believe about the end of time matters today. Perhaps our understanding is based more on popular fiction than the Bible.
The image of the four horsemen in Revelation has captured people's imagination throughout history and shows up repeatedly in pop culture. What these horsemen leave in their wake is bleak and destructive. Yet the vision of Revelation shows us that the greater apocalypse (unveiling) isn't what happens when the four horsemen show up (people have been experiencing that hopelessness through all of history) but that somehow in the wake of violence, poverty, and death there is hope and victory.
We all have expectations towards God. What he’s like, what he should do, how and when he should show up. Sometimes God doesn’t meet our expectations and he does something unexpected. The Good News of the Apocalypse was unexpected to the first hearers and even 2,000 years later we still seem to miss its significance. This week we will look into the most important twist in the entire Book of Revelation. If we aren’t clear on this part, we won’t be clear on anything else. It not only tells us how to read the rest of the book, it also tells us how we should follow Jesus today.
The challenges that faced the first century church are the same as the challenges that face us today. Last week we addressed how three of the seven churches struggled with cultural assimilation. This week we will look at the challenge that the other churches had with complacency and persecution.
As we learned last week, the book of Revelation was first and foremost written to seven churches. It was written to them, but it is for us. Even though almost two millennia have passed since the letter was penned, we see that the threats and challenges to the church then are the same exact things we still face now.
Apocalypse. What comes to mind when you hear that word? Good news or bad news? The last book of the Bible is an apocalypse, and it's good news. Many have tried to turn this book into something it isn’t, leading to much confusion and misunderstanding. When we read it with the right lens it becomes a powerful book that speaks to us in our present moment today. Join us this week as we start our new series on the book of Revelation, The Good News Apocalypse.
If we want to experience more of God's presence, we need to let him break the boxes of our limiting beliefs. Join us for a very insightful message from our guest speaker Brad Huebert.
Do you ever have moments where you’re reactions and responses surprise you? Do you ever feel stuck on the same issues and are discouraged that you can’t seem to move forward? Over time we all experience challenges, from choices we’ve made and the choices that have been made by others that effect us. Would you like to move beyond those things and continue to grow into the person that God has called you to be? If you’re interested in being a part of this courageous journey of transformation join us this Sunday as we continue our series Break Every Chain.
Do you ever have moments where you’re reactions and responses surprise you? Do you ever feel stuck on the same issues and are discouraged that you can’t seem to move forward? Over time we all experience challenges, from choices we’ve made and the choices that have been made by others that effect us. Would you like to move beyond those things and continue to grow into the person that God has called you to be? Join as we continue this courageous journey of transformation this Sunday as we Break Every Chain.
Do you ever have moments where you’re reactions and responses surprise you? Do you ever feel stuck on the same issues and are discouraged that you can’t seem to move forward? Over time we all experience challenges, from choices we’ve made and the choices that have been made by others that affect us. Would you like to move beyond those things and continue to grow into the person that God has called you to be? If you’re interested in being a part of this courageous journey of transformation join us for our new series - Break Every Chain.
This Christmas Eve we pondered the truth that Jesus is the light of the world, even when it can seem dark. But even though God’s light is seen most clearly in Jesus it doesn’t stop there. Jesus said of us: “you are the light of the world”. Are followers of Jesus known for being lights in a dark world? If not why is that? Join us for a short message as we explore this question and look ahead to being more intentional with this calling in 2023.
"A thrill of hope...a weary world rejoices." The lyrics to this famous Christmas carol are just as relevant today as they were the very first Christmas. In spite of the weariness that we and our world experience, the light of Christmas continues to give us hope today.
We talk about putting our trust in God but don’t often think about God trusting us. In the Christmas story, we see clearly the characteristics of those God trusts and those he doesn’t. Join us this week as we conclude our series and look at Christmas through the eyes of Herod.
When we look at the Christmas story it's fascinating to consider who showed up to worship Jesus and who didn't. It wasn't the religious leaders with all of their information and knowledge. It was those willing to seek and follow their longing and questions all the way to the end. Do you ever have doubts about faith? Questions? Fear not, you're in good company. It was those with honest questions that God entrusted himself to.
The Christmas season is experienced in different ways for different people. It was no different at the first Christmas. It is clear in the Christmas story that God entrusted certain people with himself, and withheld himself from others. What type of people did God trust; and what type of people were left in the dark? Perhaps it's not that different from today. Join us this week as we look at Christmas through the eyes of Joseph.
In the Christmas story, God reveals himself to those who are humble, poor in spirit, and downtrodden. He connects with those who are childlike in faith, and those who are not pretentious. This weekend we will look at how God shares his special news with the shepherds - not royalty, not the religious elite, and certainly not the proud nor powerful. Is our pride, self-sufficiency, or lack of humility keeping us from connecting with God, and all that He has for us?
What is the defining characteristic of Jesus’ relationship with us? What did he do over and over that we can also do? This weekend we’re going to look at how we can live like Jesus lived and be a community whose actions reflect Jesus’ relationship with his father as lived out in the early church.
“Tithing”. What response does that word create in you? This word has been the source of much debate and confusion. Should you, or shouldn’t you tithe? Is it, or isn’t it biblical? Join us this week as we talk about this five-letter word and whether it should hold any weight in your life and budget at all.
Over the first couple of centuries, the early church went from a scattered group of Jesus' followers to a force that changed the cities and cultures around them. What happened? Those early followers of Jesus were so convinced of the generosity of God that it caused them to live radically generous lives which in turn became an unstoppable force. Could it be that (re)discovering the generosity of God could again change us and the world around us?
Wherever you have wandered, your true home is with Jesus. We are excited to have guest speaker Mark Wessner share at SunWest this weekend. Mark is the President of MB Seminary and an Associate Professor of Biblical Studies for Christian Leadership. The common threads in much of Mark’s experience and education are leadership, teaching, and spiritual formation. Mark is passionate about helping others effectively integrate biblical studies and leadership in their daily lives, in the local church, and in the marketplace.
When we look around it can be easy to notice everyone who has more than us. We can even become envious of what others have. We may even begin to blame God, wondering why we have been shortchanged. “Why not me?” If only I had what they had I could be happy, content, or joyful. Discover how viewing God as a gracious provider can help free us from the comparison trap.
Avoiding the comparison trap is good but what if you are stuck in it? Brad Huebert is back with us this Sunday to explore how to escape the comparison trap - by exploring contentment.
You've probably heard the phrase "Keeping up with the Joneses". This phrase is often used when we attempt to try to emulate someone else's appearance, lifestyle, or standard of living. But the Jones' don't just live in the 21st century, they also lived in the 1st century. Have you ever wondered why the church community, which should be the safest place to be authentic and vulnerable, can often be the place people feel the most pressured to be someone they're not? Join us this week as we examine why that happens and what God thinks about it.
God is the creator of the universe. He’s big and smart and powerful. He orchestrates time and everything that happens in it. And he has told us to call him... Dad? This week we will unpack what being part of God’s family can mean for our self-assurance. God’s opinion of us may provide something we haven’t yet found by comparing ourselves to others.
We've all heard of a win-win outcome. However, we are often engaged in a lose-lose activity and may not even realize how destructive it is. Being rich-er or smart-er or funny-er may feel like a short-term win, but for ourselves, our families, and our relationships, comparison is a game with no winners.
This Sunday we're excited to have our three Summer Students share what God has been teaching them lately. Jessica, Makenna, and Brynna are passionate about their faith and will share impactful verses in their lives, and what that might mean for others.
Sociologist James Penner will be speaking about creating an emotionally healing culture - either in one’s own soul, or in the community of faith. The “Hemorrhaging Faith” research says that emotional healing is key to church health. What are the environments in which this healing takes place?
Listen as James Penner speaks about one of the reasons young adults are leaving the church. Their “Hemorrhaging Faith” research says that emotional healing is key to people deciding to leave or stay. Their sermon is titled, “Emotional healing is part of the gospel package.”
At the start of this series we explored the parable of the soils to answer the question, “Why don’t game-changing truths change our lives very often?” Today as Brad concludes this topic, we’ll learn how to help people stuck in their resistance to faith move closer to giving their lives to Jesus.
Jesus’ parables taught things that were hard for people to grasp when simply stated point blank. God’s radical love can be hard for a lot of people to truly wrap their minds around as much today as it was for the Pharisees and the religious leaders that Jesus taught the parable of the lost son to. In this week’s parable, we are going to explore what Jesus seeks to teach us about the Father, and perhaps ourselves, through both lost sons.
It’s BBQ season, and no BBQ is complete without French’s Classic Yellow Mustard. At least this is what most people think about when they hear the word mustard, but what does Jesus mean when he said the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed? Does it taste good on a hot dog? Discover the mysteries of the mustard seed this Sunday as we continue to explore the parables of Jesus.
Like most parables in the Bible, there is more to the story of The Great Banquet than meets the eye. Unlike most parables, this is one of the most autobiographical of Jesus’ stories. We walk through Jesus’ joy, disappointment, and passion in his role as Host. If we dig a little deeper, we’ll realize that like the guests in the parable, we are full of excuses… and that our excuses actually reveal to us our true beliefs in and of Jesus, his kingdom, and his character.
Have you ever wondered why “game-changing truths” don’t change your life very often? Let’s discover why that is--and how to steward God’s truth for maximum life-change.
Lloyd & Carol are disciple-makers with a passion to see lives transformed on mission with Jesus. Working out of the Central Canada office for Multiply in Winnipeg, they give leadership to an enthusiastic team across the prairie provinces. Multiply is the mission agency of our MB denomination.
My heart rate is on the rise, I’m sweating, nervous, worried, and anxious about everything. I avoid areas and people in my life that once brought me joy. I’ve lost hope for the future, I can’t sleep, and I’ve lost motivation to face the day. There must be more to life than this.
God cares deeply for your mental health and wants you to experience life, and life to the fullest. This Sunday we will be discussing mental health, what God has to say about it, and how we can start a journey of healing together in community and with Christ.
Kelvin Block is a counsellor specializing in areas including marriage counselling, grief, and loss. Kelvin and his wife have been members of the SunWest community for many years. We are excited to learn from Kelvin's professional expertise in our new series "I'm Still Not Okay".
Work. A human condition? A curse? A good gift? Depends on who you ask. This week we will be looking at how Jesus went about His life and handled what one might call a very high demanding job (establishing the Kingdom of God on earth and all), to discover a few implications for ourselves and how we spend our time and energy.
Willy and Gwen Reimer started SunWest Christian Fellowship in August 1994 out of a vision to grow a Christ-centred outreaching church in south Calgary. Willy served as lead pastor of SunWest for 19 years. He is passionate about developing Spirit-led Christ-followers who develop and grow other Spirit-led Christ-followers. Willy and Gwen have a deep love for the church and desire to use their gifts to help the church reflect the Kingdom of God to the world. Willy is currently on staff at Willingdon Church providing leadership for their Discipleship Ministries team and continues to be passionate about making disciples and seeing new faith communities be established across Canada and around the world.
Willy and Gwen Reimer started SunWest Christian Fellowship in August 1994 out of a vision to grow a Christ-centred outreaching church in south Calgary. Willy served as lead pastor of SunWest for 19 years. He is passionate about developing Spirit-led Christ-followers who develop and grow other Spirit-led Christ-followers. Willy and Gwen have a deep love for the church and desire to use their gifts to help the church reflect the Kingdom of God to the world. Willy is currently on staff at Willingdon Church providing leadership for their Discipleship Ministries team and continues to be passionate about making disciples and seeing new faith communities be established across Canada and around the world.
Apologizing is one thing... but confession? In a world where fear seems to be what keeps us from taking responsibility or being transparent, Jesus reminds us that God is not an angry God, but one who is filled with compassion, forgiveness and a willingness to embrace the totality of us, even the broken parts... He reminds us that confession is not only perhaps an awkward conversation to be had, but an essential one for living in authentic faith community; where we shoulder each other's burdens, and offer forgiveness, grace and hope to one another - through God the Holy Spirit. What does it look like to live in a community that confesses and forgives in order to allow the Holy Spirit to work?
"Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them". In a world of differences in thoughts, opinions, appearances, beliefs, and actions, who is the greatest? Who is right? Who is wrong? Who is in? Who is out? In a world that constantly compares people, ranks them, and separates them, it’s hard to believe in a love that doesn’t do the same. What does it look like to live in that love and extend that love to create unity in the community around us?
This week we will be talking about commitment. We live in a culture where people reply to every request with a maybe. Even though we are afraid of commitment it's to our detriment if we don't learn to commit to one another. We look forward to exploring this with you.
Canadian culture is a culture of comfort. It’s being sold to us everywhere we look. We’re encouraged to do what we want, when we want, with whomever we want. If something is uncomfortable, we want to avoid it at all costs. The Christian faith, though, is just that: uncomfortable. This week we begin a four-part series called Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community. We were built for community, but our desire for comfort often leads us to distance ourselves from one another. Could it be that your dream of church is the very thing that is keeping you from experiencing the joy and blessings of church?
Following up from his Vision message earlier this year, listen in as Pastor Matt encourages us to “Encounter”.
On this day we celebrate with all of creation the joyful resurrection of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. And Jesus's work expanding this new world extends to you! Join us as we see what Jesus is doing today for all the world.
Today, on Good Friday, join us as we reflect on the love of Jesus, His sacrifice, and how we all are a bit more like Judas that we care to admit.
On this Palm Sunday we look at Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. This event was loaded with fanfare and celebration. Yet one week later Jesus would die alone with no fanfare. What happened? Join us as we look at the political and religious expectations that the crowds had on Jesus. We’ll see that their world was not that different than ours. Is it possible that our expectations on God will cause us to abandon him as well?
Jesus taught that his followers were a part of a different world. Yet he told them that they were to be in the world, but not of the world. Everyone had to work out the tension of what that actually meant. Despite how unique the current situation in our world may seem, it’s actually no different, than what the first followers of Jesus had to navigate. To follow him had different implications politically, religiously, and relationally for different groups. The same is true today. Listen in for what is an encouraging, yet challenging message.
This week we deeper dive into Shalom with the World. As we peel back layers of systems that make our world work, we can also see some of the systemic injustices at play. One of those systems is religious identity. Only what appears to be a religious identity is really a racial identity that shapes religion, which is why we often see behaviours at odds with the teachings of Jesus. Join us as Jesus challenges all of us through his parable of the Good Samaritan found in the Gospel of Luke.
We have now looked at Shalom with God, self, and others. This week we will begin looking at Shalom with the world. From creation, to politics, to systemic issues of injustice, the word “world" in the bible means many things. Join us for this three-week series as we explore how God invites us to partner with him to both rebel against and redeem the world.
Our world is full of examples right now of how people or groups are using power to control, manipulate, and dominate. The pain we experience as humans is often linked to how power is used or abused. Jesus both demonstrates how to use power and how to respond when you feel powerless. The truth is, we are never powerless, and the Kingdom of God can be most powerful when it looks most powerless.
Justice has turned into a "buzz" word in recent years. We cry out for justice and we cry out about injustice, and rightfully so. The God of the Bible is a God of justice. But justice is not the ultimate end point. Join us this week as we discover how, when we stop at justice, we stop short of experiencing the fullness of God's life for us.
This week we move from talking about Shalom with Self to talking about Shalom with others. As we’ve noted throughout the Shalom Project, the word Shalom doesn’t simply mean peace or the absence of conflict; it is the experience of deep life and fulfillment when our relationships function in the way God intended. When we look at the world around us, we don’t have to look very far to see that there is significant conflict between humans. God’s vision for our lives and the world is one where we re-image God, his presence, his grace and his forgiveness to one another. Sometimes we can’t even imagine that. But if we experience Shalom with God and Self, then Shalom with others begins to be possible.
The world’s definition of freedom is vastly different than the Bible’s definition of freedom. Many people think freedom is about being able to do whatever you want. Yet the choices we make eventually make us. When we pursue this idea of freedom we ironically become increasingly enslaved. Listen in as we rediscover the upside down freeing invitation of Jesus.
Jesus, Paul, Peter and others all spoke of war going on inside our body. This is a war within ourself. Paul described it as a war between the flesh and the spirit. It is often the case that our deepest desires are not the same as our strongest desires. Every choice we make contributes to the person we are becoming. The choices we make will eventually make us. So, who are you becoming, and who do you want to become?
We have spent the last three weeks looking at the importance of our relationship with God. We now shift to looking out our relationship with ourselves. Our understanding of our identity anchors on the voices we give authority to. Our world is obsessed with the idea of identity and being our true selves. Yet it seems the more we try to determine who we are for ourselves, the more lost we become. Join us this week as we kick off a 3-week series on identity.
"Don’t do anything you don’t want to do” is a bit of a mantra in our culture. If it doesn’t feel "authentic" we don’t do it. Yet the very language of worship in the Bible is posture language. We are taught to do things regardless of how we might feel. In fact it is often through our actions that we begin to bring our heart into alignment. Join us this week as we unpack how worship is more than heart posture.
Throughout history, there have been unique places where the presence of God dwelt more intensely than others. These spaces were cause for both excitement and fear. In God’s ongoing plan to bring Shalom to the world, there has been an increasing invasion of this sacred space. In fact we know that there is a divine takeover in the works and we are right in the middle of it all! This has significant implications for our role as worshipers in the present. Join us for week two of the Shalom Project.
This week we begin a sequence of four series called the Shalom Project. These series’ will help us dive deeply into our vision statement, which is "To see Shalom breakers becoming Shalom makers". There is so much to unpack as we scratch the surface of what it means to live in Shalom with God, self, others, and the world.
The last few years we have kicked off the beginning of each year with a Vision Sunday and 2022 will be no different. With a world that is in constant change it is critical that we keep our eyes on the bigger picture. Today Pastor Matt will bring us back to the patterns and practices of Jesus and the early church, that saw God's Kingdom expand in the volatile world of the first century. Perhaps it's time that we revisit them.
Listen as this Christmas Eve we explore what it really means to be home. Home in and with God the Father through the miraculous birth of His Son, Jesus.
Well this is the week we finally wrap up our Reunion series. We’ve spent 10 weeks doing a deep dive into what we mean by the Gospel or Good News. In order for the Good News to make a difference in our personal lives and the lives of those around us it needs to be met by us in a particular way. This way can be summarized in one word that begins with “F”.
So far in our Reunion series we’ve looked at the gospel in one word, three words, and thirty words, and broken down the grounds and the gifts of the gospel within that. But what’s it all for? Why did Jesus, God with us, come to show us God’s love, save us from sin, set up God’s Kingdom, and shut down religion? This week we are going to explore together what it means to share in God’s life, and it might not be what you’ve always understood it to be.
This Sunday we will continue to break down the Good News in 30 words. We are currently unpacking the gifts of the Gospel. These gifts are what God has done for us that we cannot do for ourselves. This week we are going to look at how Jesus shut down religion. You might be asking yourself; didn’t Jesus start one of the world’s largest religions, what do you mean he shut it down? Discover this Sunday the gift of grace and the freedom that comes from a relationship with God.
This week we continue to unpack the gifts of the gospel. Jesus not only came to reveal God’s love and save us from sin, he also came to set up his Kingdom. This kingdom is not of this world, although it is all around us. It cannot be contained by geographical boundaries and it is open to all.
This Sunday we continue to break down the Good News in 30 words. We are currently unpacking the gifts of the Gospel. These gifts are what God has done for us that we cannot do for ourselves. This week we are going to look at how God has saved us from sin. Even though this phrase is really common in church circles, it is not un-common that many have misunderstood what this means and the beautiful implications of this gift.
We’ve begun to breakdown the Good News in 30 words. Last week we looked at the ground of the gospel and this week we will start to unpack the gifts of the gospel. The apostle John said that “God is love”. These words have profound implications on who God “is”, not just what God is like. God is not just loving, his very essence is love. What this gift means for you is nothing short of life changing.
As we know, the Good News of Jesus (or the Gospel) is simple enough for a child to understand and complex enough to ponder for our entire lives. The last two weeks we looked at the Gospel in its most simplistic forms, summarizing it in one word and three words respectively. This week we will begin moving deeper into its beauty and complexity. Join us for the rest of the series as we explore the gospel in thirty words.
Many religions or belief systems have what is called a creed. No, we’re not talking about your favourite 90’s rock band, we’re talking about a summary (creed) of what a group of people believe. A creed can help people think through what they really believe, how they really want to live, and what they are really willing to die for. For example, Islam has one called the Shahada and it says: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” Does Christianity have a similar creed? Actually, it does. The earliest creed of the church was summed up in a simple, beautiful, world-changing, three-word statement. Join us this week as we cover the Good News in three words.
There is a board game called Othello, and it’s tagline is “A minute to learn, a lifetime to master.” We could apply this phrase to the Good News of Jesus. It is simple enough for children to understand, yet complex enough to ponder for your entire life. As we look at fully understanding the good news of Jesus for seekers, saints, and sinners we will begin with the good news in its most simplest form. This week we will learn the Good News in one word.
This week we begin a brand new series called (re)union. We will be doing a deep dive into what is often referred to as the gospel. Gospel means “good news”. Often this good news has been oversimplified and sanitized. In these increasingly volatile times it is so important that we understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Join us as we rediscover the good news of Jesus for seekers, saints, and sinners.
Where is God? I can't sense God. I can't hear God. I can't feel God. Have you ever said or thought any of those things? Maybe they've been a hurdle to you believing in God. Join us this week as we dissect more false assumptions that many of us believe that ironically cause us to struggle with our belief in God.
In this series we’ve been looking at distorted views of God that many of us end up believing. Science and faith have often been positioned as enemies. This is a new concept that is a distortion of what faith in God is all about. Historically, faith and science have been friends. If God is real and true, the pursuit of science can and should lead us to greater awe and worship. Join us this week as we re-discover a God who is pro-science!
If God is real, good, and all powerful why does suffering and evil exist? This question has historically been the biggest barrier to faith for many. When bad things happen how do you make sense of it? Where is God when tragedy strikes personally or to those around us? Does God even care? He seems to be heartless. Join us this week as we dive into this mystery and see God’s response to the problem of suffering.
There are many reasons why people choose not to believe in God. It’s possible, that many of those people may not really be rejecting the true God but rather a distorted view of God. In this series we look at these assumed views and offer an alternative one. This week we will focus on the “Killjoy” God that is out to overwhelm us with a million rules and suck the joy out of life.
It can be difficult to believe in a God we cannot see. We wonder why God didn’t answer our prayers, why God allows suffering, or why we can’t feel His presence. God may not meet all your expectations—but that’s good news! Find out why in a new series: "I Want to Believe, But..."
We may not be able to control what going on in the world around us, but we can control what is going on inside of us. The Bible teaches us that thankfulness is a choice. And this choice has the potential to change what we see and how we experience what is happening in the world around us.
Wouldn’t things be easier if everyone just had the same perspective and opinions as you? No disagreements or misunderstandings? We often put a lot of energy into convincing people to think like us or pushing back against others who don’t. In our particular culture, it seems the gap between different perspectives is getting larger and the the actions and reactions are getting more extreme. Two thousand years ago Jesus created a community, not from uniformity, but from something much powerful than that. Join us this week as we explore how people from different cultures, perspectives, and languages found something worth uniting over.
We all see the world through a set of eyes. What we choose to see impacts the lives that we end up living. Faith and fear are words that describe our perspective and our behaviour. Are you living your best life? Maybe it's time to Reset and choose to live a life driven by faith instead of fear.
Pessimism. Negativity. It’s understandable. It seems like 2020 can’t end soon enough. Wouldn’t you like to hit a Reset button? We may not be able to control what happens outside of us but we can choose what happens inside of us. How do you choose your normal in a time of abnormal? This week we will learn to focus on the Good News in a world of Bad News.
In a time of polarization and strong opinions, how does the church move forward in unity and mission together? Tune in this week as Pastor Matt is going to talk about Penguins and Crabs and what we can learn from them to keep the main thing the main thing in a world that is prone to division.
Belonging. It matters! There’s a good reason why the Bible calls the followers of Jesus to connect with one another and to do something about it. Find out what God’s purpose is for your church or small group. This week, Paul Loewen, our Alberta MB Conference Director, will share on a topic that he is passionate about. If you want to know why church matters, don’t miss this Sunday!
26 weeks! That's how long we've been studying the book of Mark. That's exactly half a year. Our world feels very different now than what it did when we began. But Mark wrote this book for a church that needed to be reminded of the source of its hope. Tune in for our last week in Mark and be encouraged that no matter who you are, where you've been, or what you've done, Jesus invites you into a new beginning.
One of the most dramatic and mysterious statements in the Bible is right before Jesus breathes his last breath and says, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Isn’t Jesus God? What does this mean? What is going on? Join us this week as we explore the mystery of what is happening and what that means for you!
We have been following Jesus’ journey to the cross. As we enter the climactic point in Mark’s Gospel, we have the story interrupted by a second Jesus. Not Jesus the Messiah, but Jesus Barabbas. In this interruption we see that Barabbas is also a story about us. A story about a costly exchange. A story about the release of of a guilty captive with a broken identity. The injustice endured by Jesus gives the opportunity for the forgiveness, freedom, and the chance to live up to his true name.
When life doesn’t go the way you’ve planned, how do you respond? Do you feel the urge to fight, or to flee? To deny the truth and choose comfort over walking the difficult path? This week we will be looking at the disciples response to Jesus’ arrest in Mark 14:43-72 and how the response to flee gives us the invitation to return.
This Sunday we will focus on Jesus in Gethsemane. We will be looking at Mark 14: 32-42 where Jesus is praying in the garden and honestly processing with his friends and with God the Father about going to the cross and dying for us. We will see how Jesus invited his close friends to walk with him, to support him and we will see Christ’s concern for them and his exhortation to ‘keep watch’ for him but also for themselves. We will see Christ being honest with God the Father and his deep trust in Him and how he then comes to a place of acceptance. Come and hear how Jesus processed his journey to the cross in the garden of Gethsemane and see what are some things we can learn from him that would be helpful for the next time we are experiencing a difficult situation.
As Jesus followers we often think about what is right. We often think about what is good. But how often do we think about what is beautiful? In Mark 14 we see beauty is an essential part of being a disciple of Jesus. We find a woman who does not fit the box of religious niceties but blesses Jesus with a wasteful act of beauty.
Does it ever feel like this is the end of the world as we know it? Have you ever heard well-meaning Christians talk about the current “signs”, the return of Jesus, and the impending doom of the world? This week we’re going to look at Mark 13 and why COVID and the many other struggles in our world are not signs of Jesus’ return.
It's been said that nothing in this world is certain except death and taxes. Even Jesus couldn't avoid a confrontation with these realities. In Mark 12, Jesus continues on the journey towards his crucifixion and has to respond to a question about taxes. We will explore this Sunday how he turns this into an opportunity to talk about our identity as humans and our mission.
Jesus comes into Jerusalem on a donkey and then goes and disrupts the entire religious system. He calls out the religious leaders and tells them that the system has become a den of robbers instead of a house of prayer. That’s enough to get him killed! What does he mean by that and how does it relate to us 2000 years later? Tune in this Sunday to find out.
We live in a world that loves success, status, and honour. But sometimes as we pursue these things we are moving away from what is honoured in the Kingdom of God. This Sunday a blind guy named Bartimaeus will teach us what success really looks like.
Jesus has a certain affinity for kids. And it’s not just because they’re cute. It’s because they are most ready to receive the gifts that God wants to give them. Why is that? Join us this Sunday to find out what children have to teach us about entering the Kingdom of God and what a rich guy has to teach us about missing out on the Kingdom.
This week Pastor Matt takes a one-week break from our Mark series to speak specifically about vision. Since Alberta opened Phase 2, there are many questions about what this could mean for SunWest. Join in this Sunday to hear why Kodak and Instagram have something to teach us, and why trying to go back to the way things were may forfeit the very opportunity we have before us.
We are experiencing the domino effects of so many things in our world that have changed in a short amount of time. In Mark 9 we encounter a desperate father who gives us a picture of someone with honest faith in the midst of challenge. We also find that Jesus responds as someone of compassion, prayer, and action. In the midst of crisis, with a posture of faith, and a life of prayer, we have the rumblings of revival.
Have you ever had a mountain top experience that has changed your perspective and transformed you? It's human nature that we would want to live in that type of place forever. However, in Mark 9 we learn that the mountain top experience prepares us for the descent into the valley. Jesus is going down the mountain, will we have enough courage to follow him?
As we continue our journey through the book of Mark, we are challenged to ponder the question, "Who do we say Jesus is?" We realize that this question makes all the difference in our journey with Jesus. Is Jesus a wise teacher, a miracle worker, a prophet, or Christ? Discover the difference the answer makes in our lives as we learn from Jesus' surprising rebuke to Peter, "Get behind me Satan!"
Racism. Segregation. Prejudice. Scapegoating. Us and them. Sometimes we think, at this point in history, we should be beyond these things. But all it takes is a crisis to see that they are alive and well. As we look at the two feeding miracles of Jesus in Mark, it is easy to miss the simple profound truth in the midst of the miraculous. The kingdom table that Jesus invites you to eat at is an Open Table. It is a table for every tribe, tongue, and nation. Not only that, He is putting you in the middle of the story to serve and host the meal.
Have you ever been stranded and needing help only to have someone who was approaching you pass by? That can be heartbreaking. In Mark 6 the disciples are stuck in a storm at sea and we read that Jesus was intending to “pass them by”. That seems inconsiderate. But there is more going on than meets the eye. Join us Sunday to find out what it is.
“The safest place to be is in the centre of the will of God.” Have you ever heard this quote? Is it true? It wasn’t true for John the Baptist. It wasn’t true for the disciples. Could it be that the expectations we have on God create the breeding ground for a faith crisis? Jesus did not come to make us comfortable, he came to make us courageous. John had to learn this. The disciples had to learn this. We do too.
Come! Celebrate! Join as we proclaim our Risen Lord. See what a great thing He has done!
Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah bringing the reign of God on earth, but the stories He uses to teach about this Kingdom are on poor crops and tiny seeds. What kind of Kingdom was Jesus bringing? Who is a part of this strange Kingdom? In Mark chapter 4, Jesus teaches four different parables to illustrate the intentional mystery of the slow-growing Kingdom, and welcomes people to discern if they are going to be a part of it.
In the famous book series The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis represents Jesus as the Lion named Aslan. At one point it is stated that this Lion is good, but not safe. In Mark chapter 2, we have a series of conflicts that centre around Jesus. It is clear that being and doing good does not result in safety but in conflict. Jesus, when He brings the kingdom of heaven to earth, steps into conflict, which will ultimately pave the way to His own crucifixion. The disciples will be called to follow Him but they (and we) must beware, although Jesus is truly good, He is not safe.
March is Missions Month! For the next few weeks we will be giving significant time to highlight the people and international places that SunWest is strategically partnering with. This Sunday is Compassion Sunday. Compassion is a ministry that SunWest has partnered with for over a decade. Randy Carter is our guest speaker. Be ready to be inspired and challenged to Go Beyond!
After Jesus calls four fisherman to himself to follow him, his public ministry begins to move rapidly. By the end of Chapter 1 we see Jesus teaching, driving out demons, healing, praying, preaching, and bringing in those who were previously excluded. As Jesus confronts the forces of religion, culture, and the spiritual realm, it will not come without challenge or consequence. Yet, there is nothing that can stop this Kingdom Pandemic.
Jesus calls each one of us to follow Him. That call is exciting, life changing and... frightening. What if He asks for the one thing I just can't give Him? What if He asks me to do something I just don't want to do? As we look at the call of four fishermen, we will see that they weren't any different than we are. The call impacted their lives, their work, and their families, yet they dropped everything for the life changing opportunity to become a disciple of Jesus.
Jesus is the most important person in the history of the world and the book of Mark is likely the first book about Jesus. So, you could arguably say the gospel of Mark is the most important document in history. In this series we will be walking through the entire gospel of Mark exploring it’s key themes and the life transforming power of Jesus!
What really makes for a happy life? A dream job, a bigger house or a new relationship? If you’re always hungry for the next big thing, but frustrated because it never seems to satisfy, you might be Chasing Carrots. Its time to hop off the treadmill and chase after something real.
What really makes for a happy life? A dream job, a bigger house or a new relationship? If you’re always hungry for the next big thing, but frustrated because it never seems to satisfy, you might be Chasing Carrots. Its time to hop off the treadmill and chase after something real.
What really makes for a happy life? A dream job, a bigger house or a new relationship? If you’re always hungry for the next big thing, but frustrated because it never seems to satisfy, you might be Chasing Carrots. Its time to hop off the treadmill and chase after something real.
What really makes for a happy life? A dream job, a bigger house or a new relationship? If you’re always hungry for the next big thing, but frustrated because it never seems to satisfy, you might be Chasing Carrots. Its time to hop off the treadmill and chase after something real.
Womb and Board, our Advent series looks at the inappropriate biblical stories of four scandalous women who deliver the Deliverer. We will see that scandal recast as righteousness and that God will triumph over every human obstacle to make sure his goodness triumphs over all evil.
Womb and Board, our Advent series looks at the inappropriate biblical stories of four scandalous women who deliver the Deliverer. We will see that scandal recast as righteousness and that God will triumph over every human obstacle to make sure his goodness triumphs over all evil.
Womb and Board, our Advent series looks at the inappropriate biblical stories of four scandalous women who deliver the Deliverer. We will see that scandal recast as righteousness and that God will triumph over every human obstacle to make sure his goodness triumphs over all evil.
Womb and Board, our Advent series looks at the inappropriate biblical stories of four scandalous women who deliver the Deliverer. We will see that scandal recast as righteousness and that God will triumph over every human obstacle to make sure his goodness triumphs over all evil.
Everyone has a story. Your past story shapes who you are. It shapes your values, your personality, your perspective. But your past doesn't define your future. What is true individually is also true corporately. We have a story. Our past shapes us. Whether you've been a part of SunWest for 20 years or two weeks, we share a collective story. This series is about our corporate identity and what that means for the next chapter in our story. Let's read the past, and write the future.
Everyone has a story. Your past story shapes who you are. It shapes your values, your personality, your perspective. But your past doesn't define your future. What is true individually is also true corporately. We have a story. Our past shapes us. Whether you've been a part of SunWest for 20 years or two weeks, we share a collective story. This series is about our corporate identity and what that means for the next chapter in our story. Let's read the past, and write the future.
Everyone has a story. Your past story shapes who you are. It shapes your values, your personality, your perspective. But your past doesn't define your future. What is true individually is also true corporately. We have a story. Our past shapes us. Whether you've been a part of SunWest for 20 years or two weeks, we share a collective story. This series is about our corporate identity and what that means for the next chapter in our story. Let's read the past, and write the future.
Everyone has a story. Your past story shapes who you are. It shapes your values, your personality, your perspective. But your past doesn't define your future. What is true individually is also true corporately. We have a story. Our past shapes us. Whether you've been a part of SunWest for 20 years or two weeks, we share a collective story. This series is about our corporate identity and what that means for the next chapter in our story. Let's read the past, and write the future.
We don't like to talk about money. And we definitely don't like to talk about tithing. But money, giving and generosity were essential themes in the teaching of Jesus and the Bible. Does God need our money? Simple answer: no, but He wants our heart. Come hear how these things are related.
Are you disillusioned with the church? If you’ve been around Christians or the church in your lifetime, you’ve probably been hurt. What does Jesus have to say to Christians in a world where He’s been so poorly represented? What does Jesus have to say to people who have been hurt by Christians who have misrepresented Him? Whether you identify as a Christian or don’t, this is a series for you.
Are you disillusioned with the church? If you’ve been around Christians or the church in your lifetime, you’ve probably been hurt. What does Jesus have to say to Christians in a world where He’s been so poorly represented? What does Jesus have to say to people who have been hurt by Christians who have misrepresented Him? Whether you identify as a Christian or don’t, this is a series for you.
Are you disillusioned with the church? If you’ve been around Christians or the church in your lifetime, you’ve probably been hurt. What does Jesus have to say to Christians in a world where He’s been so poorly represented? What does Jesus have to say to people who have been hurt by Christians who have misrepresented Him? Whether you identify as a Christian or don’t, this is a series for you.
Are you disillusioned with the church? If you’ve been around Christians or the church in your lifetime, you’ve probably been hurt. What does Jesus have to say to Christians in a world where He’s been so poorly represented? What does Jesus have to say to people who have been hurt by Christians who have misrepresented Him? Whether you identify as a Christian or don’t, this is a series for you.
Welcome to SunWest’s 2019 Kick Off Service! This is one of our favourite days of the year. We’re looking forward to laughing together, reflecting together, and dreaming together about what God might have in store for us this year. We hope that this year you will more deeply Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose and Make a Difference!
Lloyd and Carol Letkeman are mission mobilizers with Multiply in central Canada. They inspire, equip and encourage the body of Christ to multiply healthy disciples and churches. Their one mission to make Jesus known.
In this series, we’ll look at situations in the Bible where Jesus gives us uncommon solutions to some of our most common problems.
In this series, we’ll look at situations in the Bible where Jesus gives us uncommon solutions to some of our most common problems.
In this series, we’ll look at situations in the Bible where Jesus gives us uncommon solutions to some of our most common problems.
In this series, we’ll look at situations in the Bible where Jesus gives us uncommon solutions to some of our most common problems.
What happens when our emotions get the best of us? What does the Bible say about joy, sadness, anger and sorrow? This series will dive into the emotion-filled conversations with God in the Psalms.
What happens when our emotions get the best of us? What does the Bible say about joy, sadness, anger and sorrow? This series will dive into the emotion-filled conversations with God in the Psalms.
What happens when our emotions get the best of us? What does the Bible say about joy, sadness, anger and sorrow? This series will dive into the emotion-filled conversations with God in the Psalms.
What happens when our emotions get the best of us? What does the Bible say about joy, sadness, anger and sorrow? This series will dive into the emotion-filled conversations with God in the Psalms.
We're happy to have Connie Jakab with us this morning! Connie is a connection coach and motivational speaker for mental health. She has seen her own son go from suicidal to thriving and she gives other families the tools to do the same. This morning Connie will be talking about the story of Lazarus from John 11.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Naked people. Armies. Miraculous births. Betrayals. Wild parties. Reunited families. Resurrection... It all happened! The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of about 1,400 years. It was written by fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, kings, doctors, political prisoners and poets. It is not organized in chronological order but by categories or genres of writing, such as law, history, poetry, prophecy and letters. Amazingly, one seamless story emerges—the story of a passionate God on relentless pursuit of those He loves. Join us to experience the entire Bible in 13 weeks.
Single. Married. Dating. Sex. "It's personal"... "Don't ask"... Why is it that the church often talks so little about the things in our life that occupies so much of our thinking and energy? It's time to talk about relationships, uncensored. If you're single and wanna be single, single and wanna be married, married and wanna be single, dating, divorced, re-married or anyone in between, this series is for you!
Single. Married. Dating. Sex. "It's personal"... "Don't ask"... Why is it that the church often talks so little about the things in our life that occupies so much of our thinking and energy? It's time to talk about relationships, uncensored. If you're single and wanna be single, single and wanna be married, married and wanna be single, dating, divorced, re-married or anyone in between, this series is for you!
Single. Married. Dating. Sex. "It's personal"... "Don't ask"... Why is it that the church often talks so little about the things in our life that occupies so much of our thinking and energy? It's time to talk about relationships, uncensored. If you're single and wanna be single, single and wanna be married, married and wanna be single, dating, divorced, re-married or anyone in between, this series is for you!
Single. Married. Dating. Sex. "It's personal"... "Don't ask"... Why is it that the church often talks so little about the things in our life that occupies so much of our thinking and energy? It's time to talk about relationships, uncensored. If you're single and wanna be single, single and wanna be married, married and wanna be single, dating, divorced, re-married or anyone in between, this series is for you!
What if you knew exactly how many days you had to live? For many of us, that would mean we’d make significantly different choices. Many of us spend our lives existing but never truly living. The Bible teaches us to be aware of our brevity on earth so we can orient our lives around what truly matters. Join us for this life changing series called 30 Days to Live. Save nothing for the next life.
What if you knew exactly how many days you had to live? For many of us, that would mean we’d make significantly different choices. Many of us spend our lives existing but never truly living. The Bible teaches us to be aware of our brevity on earth so we can orient our lives around what truly matters. Join us for this life changing series called 30 Days to Live. Save nothing for the next life.
What if you knew exactly how many days you had to live? For many of us, that would mean we’d make significantly different choices. Many of us spend our lives existing but never truly living. The Bible teaches us to be aware of our brevity on earth so we can orient our lives around what truly matters. Join us for this life changing series called 30 Days to Live. Save nothing for the next life.
What if you knew exactly how many days you had to live? For many of us, that would mean we’d make significantly different choices. Many of us spend our lives existing but never truly living. The Bible teaches us to be aware of our brevity on earth so we can orient our lives around what truly matters. Join us for this life changing series called 30 Days to Live. Save nothing for the next life.
The birth of Jesus was a miracle that continues to change the world. The shepherds were told that the birth of Jesus was to be a “sign” that God was about to do something historical. John, one of Jesus’ disciples, also used the word “sign” to describe all of Jesus’ miracles. Signs point to something that is coming. In this series, we will move backwards through John’s gospel looking at the signs that will build wonder and hope for us today just like they did when they initially happened. In this Advent season, we to wait in anticipation for the destination these signs point toward.
The birth of Jesus was a miracle that continues to change the world. The shepherds were told that the birth of Jesus was to be a “sign” that God was about to do something historical. John, one of Jesus’ disciples, also used the word “sign” to describe all of Jesus’ miracles. Signs point to something that is coming. In this series, we will move backwards through John’s gospel looking at the signs that will build wonder and hope for us today just like they did when they initially happened. In this Advent season, we to wait in anticipation for the destination these signs point toward.
The birth of Jesus was a miracle that continues to change the world. The shepherds were told that the birth of Jesus was to be a “sign” that God was about to do something historical. John, one of Jesus’ disciples, also used the word “sign” to describe all of Jesus’ miracles. Signs point to something that is coming. In this series, we will move backwards through John’s gospel looking at the signs that will build wonder and hope for us today just like they did when they initially happened. In this Advent season, we to wait in anticipation for the destination these signs point toward.
The birth of Jesus was a miracle that continues to change the world. The shepherds were told that the birth of Jesus was to be a “sign” that God was about to do something historical. John, one of Jesus’ disciples, also used the word “sign” to describe all of Jesus’ miracles. Signs point to something that is coming. In this series, we will move backwards through John’s gospel looking at the signs that will build wonder and hope for us today just like they did when they initially happened. In this Advent season, we to wait in anticipation for the destination these signs point toward.
As society rapidly moves away from the teachings and values of Jesus, His followers experience increasing tension with the values of workplaces, schools, governments and media messages. How does a person of faith successfully navigate our changing landscape? Fortunately, we're not the first ones to experience a culture clash. In this series, from the book of Daniel, will consider how a faithful follower of God lives successfully in the hostile environment of Babylon.
As society rapidly moves away from the teachings and values of Jesus, His followers experience increasing tension with the values of workplaces, schools, governments and media messages. How does a person of faith successfully navigate our changing landscape? Fortunately, we're not the first ones to experience a culture clash. In this series, from the book of Daniel, will consider how a faithful follower of God lives successfully in the hostile environment of Babylon.
As society rapidly moves away from the teachings and values of Jesus, His followers experience increasing tension with the values of workplaces, schools, governments and media messages. How does a person of faith successfully navigate our changing landscape? Fortunately, we're not the first ones to experience a culture clash. In this series, from the book of Daniel, will consider how a faithful follower of God lives successfully in the hostile environment of Babylon.
As society rapidly moves away from the teachings and values of Jesus, His followers experience increasing tension with the values of workplaces, schools, governments and media messages. How does a person of faith successfully navigate our changing landscape? Fortunately, we're not the first ones to experience a culture clash. In this series, from the book of Daniel, will consider how a faithful follower of God lives successfully in the hostile environment of Babylon.
In the very beginning in the Garden of Eden a serpent came and created havoc by asking one simple question: “Did God Really Say?” The serpent knew that if he could mix a little bit of truth with a little bit of doubt he could drive a wedge between people and God. It's the exact same tactic he still uses today. What are the lies we believe that hurt our relationship with God and others?
In the very beginning in the Garden of Eden a serpent came and created havoc by asking one simple question: “Did God Really Say?” The serpent knew that if he could mix a little bit of truth with a little bit of doubt he could drive a wedge between people and God. It's the exact same tactic he still uses today. What are the lies we believe that hurt our relationship with God and others?
In the very beginning in the Garden of Eden a serpent came and created havoc by asking one simple question: “Did God Really Say?” The serpent knew that if he could mix a little bit of truth with a little bit of doubt he could drive a wedge between people and God. It's the exact same tactic he still uses today. What are the lies we believe that hurt our relationship with God and others?
In the very beginning in the Garden of Eden a serpent came and created havoc by asking one simple question: “Did God Really Say?” The serpent knew that if he could mix a little bit of truth with a little bit of doubt he could drive a wedge between people and God. It's the exact same tactic he still uses today. What are the lies we believe that hurt our relationship with God and others?
In the very beginning in the Garden of Eden a serpent came and created havoc by asking one simple question: "Did God Really Say?" The serpent knew that if he could mix a little bit of truth with a little bit of doubt he could drive a wedge between people and God. It's the exact same tactic he still uses today. What are the lies we believe that hurt our relationship with God and others?
Welcome to our Grand Opening! Sunwest has been a part of the Midnapore and Sundance community for 23 years. After renting a handful of facilities in an effort to stay as close as we can to the community, we are excited to finally have a place of permanence. Welcome to our home; we invite you to make it home as well. Our hope is that we can help as many people as possible follow Jesus and discover their God-given purpose!
Control. We all want it. But the more we try and control everything in our life, the more it seems we don't have control. When life squeezes you, are you able to control your thoughts, emotions, and actions or do you feel like they're controlling you? Today we will look at how your lack of control is actually the key to discovering self-control.
Our world is full of conflict. In the news, our workplaces, our families, and our relationships. When trying to overcome a conflict how do we respond? Do we fight harder? Try and outlast the competition? Eye for an eye? God invites us to consider an alternative way to disarm others. Kindness. It is a secret weapon that is rarely used, but is exactly how God disarms us.
Are people inherently good or evil? It's been a question that has been wrestled with by philosophers and theologians for thousands of years. When you get squeezed by life circumstances, does goodness come out? This week we will look at the related juices of goodness, integrity and wholeness.Think of how much your relationships would benefit from an increased dose of that fruit!
When you squeeze a fruit you get… juice! If you squeeze an orange you get… orange juice! If you squeeze a mango you get… mango juice! You get the point. But what happens in your life when you’re squeezed? How does that juice affect the relationships with those around you? There are different fruits that produce different results in our lives. What we produce when we’re squeezed has a significant impact on our relationships. Join us for this summer series, as we explore the key ingredient to healthy relationships.
God isn't faithful to us because we deserve it; He is faithful because He is committed and consistent. The fruit of faithfulness in our rapid-paced, full-of-choices, short-term-commitment society is difficult at the best of times, and especially when life squeezes us. Faithfulness means committing to consistently filling yourself up with the Spirit, so you can consistently live the life Jesus has called you to.
When you squeeze a fruit you get… juice! If you squeeze an orange you get… orange juice! If you squeeze a mango you get… mango juice! You get the point. But what happens in your life when you’re squeezed? How does that juice affect the relationships with those around you? There are different fruits that produce different results in our lives. What we produce when we’re squeezed has a significant impact on our relationships. Join us for this summer series, as we explore the key ingredient to healthy relationships
Gentleness… is a strong hand with a soft touch. In a world of harsh critics, jaded opinions, and abrasive personalities, how are we to be gentle in a rough and tough society? Gentleness is a byproduct of being controlled by the Holy Spirit, it is strength under control. Let us explore together how gentleness breaks down rigid defences and can be one of our greatest witnesses to unbelievers.
Happiness… is something we all want. It’s something we are all chasing. But do you ever feel like you can’t quite catch it? Jesus invites us to quit trying to catch happiness and to receive joy. We’ll take a look at the difference between the two, and how to trade the unproductive pursuit of happiness for a life marked by joy.
When you squeeze a fruit you get… juice! If you squeeze an orange you get… orange juice! If you squeeze a mango you get… mango juice! You get the point. But what happens in your life when you’re squeezed? How does that juice affect the relationships with those around you? There are different fruits that produce different results in our lives. What we produce when we’re squeezed has a significant impact on our relationships. Join us for this summer series, as we explore the key ingredient to healthy relationships
When you squeeze a fruit you get… juice! If you squeeze an orange you get… orange juice! If you squeeze a mango you get… mango juice! You get the point. But what happens in your life when you’re squeezed? How does that juice affect the relationships with those around you? There are different fruits that produce different results in our lives. What we produce when we’re squeezed has a significant impact on our relationships. Join us for this summer series, as we explore the key ingredient to healthy relationships.
This Sunday marks the beginning of a new journey at SunWest as we have the first service in our new home! Just like a campfire draws people in, we want to create an atmosphere for people to gather. Let us together, consider how we can play a role in creating this type of environment for others in South Calgary.
The word "prodigal" means: spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant; having or giving something on a lavish scale. There is a famous story in the Bible called the Prodigal Son. Yet this story is actually about a Prodigal Father. The two sons in the story represent two different groups of people that are equally lost and in desperate need of a Prodigal Father. Which son are you and how does the love of the Father blow up your misconceptions about yourself and Him?
Doors closed. Drive in and out of garage. Blinds closed. This is the privatization of our suburban lives. Have we lost the art of neighbouring? Who is your neighbour? What does it look like to move beyond the doors and garages into relationships with those we are physically close to but relationally distant from? Let’s rediscover the Art of Neighbouring.
Doors closed. Drive in and out of garage. Blinds closed. This is the privatization of our suburban lives. Have we lost the art of neighbouring? Who is your neighbour? What does it look like to move beyond the doors and garages into relationships with those we are physically close to but relationally distant from? Let’s rediscover the Art of Neighbouring.
Doors closed. Drive in and out of garage. Blinds closed. This is the privatization of our suburban lives. Have we lost the art of neighbouring? Who is your neighbour? What does it look like to move beyond the doors and garages into relationships with those we are physically close to but relationally distant from? Let’s rediscover the Art of Neighbouring.
The Bible refers to God as Father regularly. The Bible also uses many other titles for God. Out of all the different titles, Mother is not one we usually associate with God or use to describe God. Yet male and female were both created in the image of God. How does the language we use to describe God impact our understanding of who He is? How have the women in our lives shaped our understanding of God's character? This Sunday we reflect on the Creator, who created moms in His image.
Are you Sheepish? Maybe that's not a bad thing! Psalm 23 has been a source of inspiration and comfort for centuries. What is it about this text that has captivated the hearts of so many? In this series we will take a look at one of the common metaphors used to describe our relationship with God throughout scripture: Shepherd & Sheep. Join us for a series that will speak to your identity, give you comfort in times of need, and inspire you to let God permeate every aspect of your life. It’s ok to be Sheepish!
Are you Sheepish? Maybe that's not a bad thing! Psalm 23 has been a source of inspiration and comfort for centuries. What is it about this text that has captivated the hearts of so many? In this series we will take a look at one of the common metaphors used to describe our relationship with God throughout scripture: Shepherd & Sheep. Join us for a series that will speak to your identity, give you comfort in times of need, and inspire you to let God permeate every aspect of your life. It’s ok to be Sheepish!
Are you Sheepish? Maybe that's not a bad thing! Psalm 23 has been a source of inspiration and comfort for centuries. What is it about this text that has captivated the hearts of so many? In this series we will take a look at one of the common metaphors used to describe our relationship with God throughout scripture: Shepherd & Sheep. Join us for a series that will speak to your identity, give you comfort in times of need, and inspire you to let God permeate every aspect of your life. It’s ok to be Sheepish!
Are you Sheepish? Maybe that's not a bad thing! Psalm 23 has been a source of inspiration and comfort for centuries. What is it about this text that has captivated the hearts of so many? In this series we will take a look at one of the common metaphors used to describe our relationship with God throughout scripture: Shepherd & Sheep. Join us for a series that will speak to your identity, give you comfort in times of need, and inspire you to let God permeate every aspect of your life. It’s ok to be Sheepish!
During “The Church I See” we’ve been dreaming about the Church that God is calling us to be. This has some very pragmatic steps, and this Sunday we are taking a significant faith step into that future reality by launching our Capital Campaign for the purchase of a building in Midnapore. Come join us for our “All In” Sunday as we kick off a two week campaign period that will conclude on April 22nd. We are praying and believing that God will do more than we could possibly ask or imagine!
Easter is the highpoint of the Christian calendar. There is nothing more significant, and potentially altering for people than Easter. Let’s explore together, the implications of Jesus’ death and more importantly, resurrection for us and for the church. If Jesus rose from the dead, then…?
Why would the tortuous death of God be called Good? Listen as we explore why we can find eternal hope on this day.
It is no secret that we are at a significant moment in time at SunWest that will impact our trajectory and legacy as followers of Jesus. Vision, by definition, is “seeing”. What is seen when we look at the future will dictate the choices we make today. Today begins a seven week vision series called “The Church I See”. Let’s partner with Jesus to paint the picture of our future and trust that He can do even more than we ask or imagine!
It is no secret that we are at a significant moment in time at SunWest that will impact our trajectory and legacy as followers of Jesus. Vision, by definition, is “seeing”. What is seen when we look at the future will dictate the choices we make today. Today begins a seven week vision series called “The Church I See”. Let’s partner with Jesus to paint the picture of our future and trust that He can do even more than we ask or imagine!
It is no secret that we are at a significant moment in time at SunWest that will impact our trajectory and legacy as followers of Jesus. Vision, by definition, is “seeing”. What is seen when we look at the future will dictate the choices we make today. Today begins a seven week vision series called “The Church I See”. Let’s partner with Jesus to paint the picture of our future and trust that He can do even more than we ask or imagine!
It is no secret that we are at a significant moment in time at SunWest that will impact our trajectory and legacy as followers of Jesus. Vision, by definition, is “seeing”. What is seen when we look at the future will dictate the choices we make today. Today begins a seven week vision series called “The Church I See”. Let’s partner with Jesus to paint the picture of our future and trust that He can do even more than we ask or imagine!
It is no secret that we are at a significant moment in time at SunWest that will impact our trajectory and legacy as followers of Jesus. Vision, by definition, is “seeing”. What is seen when we look at the future will dictate the choices we make today. Today begins a seven week vision series called “The Church I See”. Let’s partner with Jesus to paint the picture of our future and trust that He can do even more than we ask or imagine!
It is no secret that we are at a significant moment in time at SunWest that will impact our trajectory and legacy as followers of Jesus. Vision, by definition, is “seeing”. What is seen when we look at the future will dictate the choices we make today. Today begins a seven week vision series called “The Church I See”. Let’s partner with Jesus to paint the picture of our future and trust that He can do even more than we ask or imagine!
Did you know that God is trying to speak to you? This communication with God has typically been called 'prayer'. Whether you have never prayed, always pray or are a wait for things to hit the fan until you pray type of person...this series is for you. Learn how to disconnect from the noise and connect with a God who loves to speak to you.
Did you know that God is trying to speak to you? This communication with God has typically been called 'prayer'. Whether you have never prayed, always pray or are a wait for things to hit the fan until you pray type of person...this series is for you. Learn how to disconnect from the noise and connect with a God who loves to speak to you.
Did you know that God is trying to speak to you? This communication with God has typically been called 'prayer'. Whether you have never prayed, always pray or are a wait for things to hit the fan until you pray type of person...this series is for you. Learn how to disconnect from the noise and connect with a God who loves to speak to you.
Did you know that God is trying to speak to you? This communication with God has typically been called 'prayer'. Whether you have never prayed, always pray or are a wait for things to hit the fan until you pray type of person...this series is for you. Learn how to disconnect from the noise and connect with a God who loves to speak to you.
Bennaiah chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day. Josheb fought an entire army, and won with 800 to 1 odds. Eleazor fought until his hand froze to the sword. As we kick off 2018, we want to take our cue from Bennaiah and his friends to courageously fight for the dreams that God has given us. But the question we must ask is, "If you were to encounter a 500lb lion, are you ready?"
Advent means waiting. We live in a world that tries to eliminate any waiting. The Israelites were waiting for a Messiah to come and bring hope, love, peace, and joy. Christmas was not just for those waiting 2,000 years ago, but it is the promise for all of us who continue to wait today.
Advent means waiting. We live in a world that tries to eliminate any waiting. The Israelites were waiting for a Messiah to come and bring hope, love, peace, and joy. Christmas was not just for those waiting 2,000 years ago, but it is the promise for all of us who continue to wait today.
Advent means waiting. We live in a world that tries to eliminate any waiting. The Israelites were waiting for a Messiah to come and bring hope, love, peace, and joy. Christmas was not just for those waiting 2,000 years ago, but it is the promise for all of us who continue to wait today. This week the focus is on how love entered the world in a new way, so many years ago. God still wants to invade our world with love today.
This weekend we enter the season of "Advent". Advent means waiting. We live in a world that tries to eliminate any waiting. The Israelites were waiting for a Messiah to come and bring hope, love, peace, and joy. Christmas was not just for those waiting 2,000 years ago, but it is the promise for all of us who continue to wait today. The Christmas Story is the story of God bringing hope into a messy and broken world, and He is still bringing hope into our world today. Join us for this journey to Christmas and allow hope to find you in your waiting.
The Christian faith is an active faith. It is an "ing" faith, especially as it relates to relationships. Love is one thing. It's theoretical. But lov"ing" is another. It's tangible. It's active. "One another|ing" is vital to followers of Jesus. God doesn't want us to go through this life on our own. So how can we get really good at living an "ing" faith with each other? Our series One Another|ing will help us learn how to do life well together as we grow in loving, caring for, and serving each other and the world around us.
The Christian faith is an active faith. It is an "ing" faith, especially as it relates to relationships. Love is one thing. It's theoretical. But lov"ing" is another. It's tangible. It's active. "One another|ing" is vital to followers of Jesus. God doesn't want us to go through this life on our own. So how can we get really good at living an "ing" faith with each other? Our series One Another|ing will help us learn how to do life well together as we grow in loving, caring for, and serving each other and the world around us. Come this Sunday and hear how to Stir one another.
The Christian faith is an active faith. It is an "ing" faith, especially as it relates to relationships. Love is one thing. It's theoretical. But lov"ing" is another. It's tangible. It's active. "One another|ing" is vital to followers of Jesus. God doesn't want us to go through this life on our own. So how can we get really good at living an "ing" faith with each other? Our series One Another|ing will help us learn how to do life well together as we grow in loving, caring for, and serving each other and the world around us.
According to the Bible, one of the main calls of the church today is "one anothering". Since God is for us, not against us, He calls us to be for each other, not against each other. We all want this kind of encouraging environment, but it takes effort to create and sustain it. How should we be encouraging and building up one another as God intended? Checkout this new series at SunWest.
Fear is like a set of glasses. These glasses change what you see. They tint what you are perceiving. They convince you that you are seeing things clearly, the way it really is. God wants you to see things from His perspective, a more real perspective. Our understanding of God and our position with Him will move us from the pursuit of security to the pursuit of adventure. Chase the Lion.
Often in the pursuit of our dreams we find ourselves in the exact opposite place we hoped for. David, before he became King, found himself in a cave running for his life. Little did he know that this was going to be the place where God shaped and formed him for his destiny. It was also a place where other dreamers found refuge and hope. Your greatest roadblock may be the very thing God uses to prepare you to chase down a lion and realize your dream.
Bennaiah chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day. Josheb fought an entire army and won with 800 to 1 odds. Eleazor fought till his hand froze to the sword. In this series we focus on the fears that we have run away from that God is asking us to chase down. That 500 lb lion is not an excuse but an opportunity! Many of us give up the chase and the fight too soon. Eleazor encourages us to be determined and to persevere even when the victory doesn't come easy.
When the image of a man-eating beast runs through the optic nerve and into the visual cortex, the brain sends one message... RUN! But Lion Chasers aren't wired that way. Lion Chasers run to the roar. They don't see a 500 pound problem, they go after a 500 pound dream that God has given to them. During this series called "Chase the Lion", our prayer is that you would be able to identify the dream God is calling you to chase, and step out in faith and courage to go for it.
When the image of a man-eating beast runs through the optic nerve and into the visual cortex, the brain sends one message... RUN! But Lion Chasers aren't wired that way. Lion Chasers run to the roar. They don't see a 500 pound problem, they go after a 500 pound dream that God has given to them. During this series called "Chase the Lion", our prayer is that you would be able to identify the dream God is calling you to chase, and step out in faith and courage to go for it.
Today we hear from Olive Aneno, of Compassion Canada. She was born and raised in Northern Uganda. At age 6 she was sponsored into compassion's child development program. She moved to the U.S. on a volleyball scholarship and has earned a master's in social work. Come listen to the impact of sponsorship on a child's life.
Have you ever needed a translator? Maybe when you were in a different country? Maybe with your co-workers... maybe with your spouse!? We have a communication problem... we are all entrenched in our own way of thinking, listening, and speaking. Jesus calls us to a future of unity that is not based on uniformity but embraces diversity. But to get from here to there we will need an interpreter to help us.
When in the midst of the storm, sometimes worry and doubt creeps in and causes fear. Jesus promises His presence will be with us at all times. He will never leave us. This Sunday, we will listen to the song on my iPod, "At the Mention of Your Name" by Jenn Johnson, a reminder of His promise that in the storm He comes close and comforts us.
The first track on this year's God on my iPod is "My Back Pages", by Bob Dylan. In the song, Dylan challenges us to continue to grow with an open mind, and rethink what we thought we once knew. It sounds very similar to a conversation Jesus has with a man named Nicodemus calling him to be born again. What would it look like for us, as we get older to become younger, and even child like in our faith? Join us this Sunday to discover what can happen when we sit in relationship with Jesus.
The apostle John gives us the definition of true love: Jesus giving up His life for us. What are the implications of Jesus' selfless example of love for the early church? How do we follow Jesus in being living examples of love to each other and the world around us based on what Jesus did? How do we relate to each other during this season in the life of SunWest given what John calls us to?
Paul writes to the church in Corinth because they were disputing over who was more important because of their teaching or leading ability. Paul helps the church refocus on the importance of Christ as the foundation for the church and for the individual.
Having the Holy Spirit is one thing but He is useless to us if we don't use Him. He is there to guide us and protect us but He is also there to lead us to a closer relationship with Christ. Do we really believe that the Holy Spirit can do what He says He can do? Do we truly trust God with the details of our lives? God has glorious, unlimited resources available to us as stated in Ephesians 3:16. Come discover a God who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or imagine!
Have you ever struggled in your relationship with Jesus? Maybe you feel like no matter how hard you try, something always gets in the way. Come learn more this Sunday from II Corinthians 3:16 that when we turn to Jesus, the veil can be removed for us to experience His love more fully. That love changes us into a reflection of His likeness and glory for the world to see.
Have you ever felt frustrated and stuck in your spiritual growth? Or perhaps you're currently feeling as though you should be further along in your Christian journey than where you are. This Sunday, come explore the Colossians 3:16 passage where the Apostle Paul gives some practical, down to earth, gritty advice about how we can grow in our faith walk. This message will be inspired by a small church that made a global impact. Come dive into Colossians and see how this 3:16 reference, written 2000 years ago, can kick start even the most stuck individual.
Every week we gather and talk about the Book. We encourage people to read this Book. We try and live our lives by the teachings of this Book. This Book is the Bible. What is it? Is it any different from other religious writings? Why should I trust it? Have you been asked any of these questions and struggle to answer them? If so, this Sunday is for you.
Philippians 2 is one of the most foundational scriptures on Servanthood. These verses are likely the words from a common first century hymn. So, how does this 2000-year-old hymn help us today? We will consider some very practical applications for work life and real day-to-day living.
Today, we can be addicted to selfies as a way to promote ourselves, but what happens when we turn the camera around and focus on the people around us? When we start to focus our lives on loving God our eyes can't help but be opened to the needs of our neighbours. When we make servanthood a value we begin to work together with God to expand His Kingdom.
Nehemiah leveraged his time, talents and treasure to respond to God's call to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. But this was only possible when others did the same. Being generous is good, but being a generous community is better. We can do more together than we can do apart.
Jesus talked about money a lot. More than He talked about church, prayer, healing, heaven or hell... Why? Because He needed people's money? No. Because He knew that our money was the truest reflection of our hearts. Nehemiah knew this too. In Nehemiah 10 the people of Israel take an oath about material things in order that their hearts remain connected to God and His purposes. What's your money telling you about your heart?
Nehemiah had a vision to see the ruined walls of Jerusalem, his hometown, be rebuilt, even though he was being held hostage in Persia. Historically, the nation of Israel had proven they were stronger together providing protection, community, and a strong work force. What can we learn about Generosity from Nehemiah and the Israelites, and how does it apply to our church family?
One thing we know to be true about God is that He is generous. We know this because Scripture declares that this is at the very core of who He is, and His desire for us is to know, experience and live out this foundational truth. God's generosity is more than a gift of time, emotions and finances. These externals point to a deeper reality of God's heart, a heart that longs for an authentic relationship with you. This Sunday we embark on a new series that explores God's heart of generosity in our lives and how we can experience it.
"Why do you look for the living among the dead?" That is what was asked of the the women searching for Jesus on Sunday after the crucifixion. When they understood the resurrection it changed everything for them. Have we grasped this same hope? Are we still looking in the wrong places for our hope? Resurrection changes everything.
On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was accused, mocked, beaten, and crucified so that... we don't have to? Sometimes we think that Jesus suffered so we wouldn't need to, or that Jesus became the least so that we could become great. That line of thinking resonates with the message of our culture, but does it resonate with the message of Jesus?
In this series we have been looking at different metaphors that the Bible uses to help us understand what God has done through Jesus on the cross. One of the primary pictures we see is that Jesus is our substitute. This is often described in legal metaphors where God is judge and Jesus is an innocent victim who takes our place, so that we can be free. This model is very helpful in some ways, but it is also problematic in others. Want to learn more?
What happened on the cross? This is a reality and mystery that has transformed and challenged every Jesus follower in history. There are many paradoxes at the cross, that if we over simplify we will miss its significance. We often view Jesus as only a man, but the Bible shows us that Jesus was fully man and fully God. And if Jesus is fully God, what does God hanging on a cross reveal to us?
Jesus died on Good Friday 2000 years ago. He died in place of all mankind to bring us into a place where we could once again have connection and relationship with God the way it was intended to be since creation. But, why did He have to die? There are various reasons and theories as to what Jesus' death was all about. This message will look at the "Christ the Conqueror" theme, as well as the "Ransom Theory" of His death.
We often hear the phrase "Jesus died for us" but what does this mean? For many of us, the event of Good Friday has become so domesticated that it has lost its revolutionary message and power. During this Lent season we are going to dive into the meaning of Good Friday to recover the mystery and scandal of the cross. TGIF-Thank God it's Friday!
Jesus has a heart for intergenerational community in his church. Yet many churches are filled with fence sitters or those who are disengaging completely from their faith community. Through unprecedented research and study, James Penner will paint a picture of why people are fence sitting and the critical changes that we can make to move people from the fence to full engagement.
The heart of this series,the roots of community, will be the focal point of the message this Sunday - a heart of grace. In many ways, the table and the hospitality that surround it are the context where community grows and then extends practically to our world. Meals, hanging out together, and the Calgary spirit of hospitality are all part of how SunWest engages in community.
Meals in community often turn into a time to share stories and old memories. There is nothing like a hot apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream to take you down memory lane. Sharing stories and memories are how we deepen our relationships with the people around us. Jesus understood this well when he sat down to eat with his disciples for the last time. As Jesus prepared the meal he told them that every time they ate together to do so in remembrance of him. What would happen if every time we ate together our stories and memories were focused around the salvation of Jesus?
Community is often most clearly seen around a dinner table. We tend to only eat with those who are like us. Yet Jesus ate with everyone, and it got him in a lot of trouble. Meals provide us with the opportunity to practice radical hospitality and demonstrate the Kingdom of God that transcends boundaries. This week we will follow Jesus' lead and consider meals as mission.
Jesus had a mission. In the Gospel of Luke we read that He came to seek and save the lost. He came not to be served but to serve and give His life so others could live. But HOW did He do it? We could think of many things that Jesus did, but there is a very simple daily activity that Jesus utilized. It's something that we all do, everyday. Meals. Yes, food! Luke puts a table in the centre of Jesus' ministry. We hope that you will rediscover the potential of hospitality for community and mission through this series.
We often talk about having a relationship with Jesus, but do you ever feel like He's distant? Do you wonder where He is? Do you feel like the intimacy you used to have isn't there? Our relationship with God is not static... and He refuses to fit into our neat little boxes. Perhaps this is an indication, not that something is wrong but that God is leading you to a deeper relationship with Him. How does that work?
Would you use this phrase to describe yourself: "A disciple whom Jesus loves"? There is an individual in the Gospel of John who repeatedly refers to himself in this way. It isn't boastful, just simply factual. He demonstrates the type of relationship with Jesus that is available for every person. A relationship that is not religious but relational; not agenda driven but presence driven. Come this week as we look at the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved and consider if that could possibly be our own name too.
Joseph. A good man with a good heart. Willing to endure shame from his community to do what he knew was right. A true God pleaser, not a people pleaser.
God knows how to create a good story and used unusual circumstances and the most unsuspecting people to bring about his Son. This week we will be focusing on the life and calling of a teenaged mom, Mary. God used someone who seemed unqualified, and unprepared to raise the Saviour of the world. Despite her fear and confusion she was willing to align her will with God's and say yes to the seemingly impossible. In this Christmas season, what do we need to say yes to?
For the Advent Season, we will be focusing on the coming of the Christ child... but have you heard the Christmas back story? If you think your family or extended family presents awkwardly at times, wait until you hear the background story of Jesus. Behind the usual Christmas story there are beautiful pictures of grace and redemption. Jesus was born in a stable, a barn... and laid in a manger. That's Bible language for a "feeding trough". His family was just as rustic and rough as the physical environment; as messed up as any story you have ever heard. But if Jesus can turn that family and situation around, He can turn any family or any situation around! That's part of the GOOD NEWS of Christmas.
Scorecards are valuable in any game because they tell you whether or not you're winning. But what do we look at to tell if the church is 'winning'... doing what we should be doing? What we choose to measure will be followed by where we choose to put our attention and energy. It's easy to focus on the numbers... attendance and money. At SunWest we believe that God transforms us, and through us He transforms our communities. If bums and bucks are all we're measuring we may completely miss the mission that God has called us to. This week we will look at "The New Scorecard".
Did you know that your individual everyday choices effect the community around you? As we learned last week, if we want to be transformational in our world we need to be transformed in our inner world. We may begin this journey as an individual but we walk in this journey as a community. Our individual transformation or lack of transformation will have a corresponding effect on those around us. God wants to work through his people and not just through a person. Let's consider how we shape our community and how our community shapes us.
Kids often come to parents and ask for money...money for candy, money for a Slurpee, or money for a game etc... Very rarely do parents have cash on hand anymore. We simply (and conveniently) have to tell them that we don't have any money so they're out of luck! We can't give them what we don't have. As we unpack the theme of Transformation, it is important that we start with ourselves. Scripture is clear that God wants to transform our world, however, the first step towards that is allowing Him to transform us. We can only give away what we have. There is no shortage of opportunities and needs but what do we have to give?
How do you communicate with your friends? Do you get caught up in their issues and hurts? How well do you love others, especially when they are hard to love? We live in a world where people are often angry and would rather curse than bless. Having Christ in us, allows us to look beyond the wounds and draw out the best in others. We can influence our environment by being the light and hope of Jesus to those around us.
Jacob moved through his life looking for love and acceptance. Like many of us he was putting expectations on human relationships (horizontal relationships) that didn't satisfy his deep longings. His search finally led him to an encounter with God (a vertical relationship) that would change the entire trajectory of his life. Come and explore how our encounter and relationship with God is the source of our identity... and how that changes everything.
Every human being has an innate desire to belong and to be loved. Advertisers know this and can dangle this desire like a carrot before us. Sometimes this strong desire can lead us down destructive paths and sometimes it can lead us to places where we've never felt more alive. The Bible is full of humans, like us, that have followed this desire and been led to both life and to death. We will look at the character of Jacob this week and consider where this universal desire is leading you.
This Sunday is the beginning of the new series "False Advertising". Have you ever bought something based on a commercial or ad that didn't quite deliver on it's promise? That burger... that car... that gym membership... That infomercial product that was going to clean your house for you... (and let's be honest... that church event). We are bombarded with promises everyday. Sometimes it's hard to know what's real and what's just a gimmick. When we really peel back the layers, most commercials are trying to meet the needs of our most basic human desires. Meaning. Belonging. Security. Acceptance. Intimacy. Adventure. Immortality. Is there anything in this world that can really deliver on these? False Advertising may be the norm but come journey with us through the noise to experience where our desires meet their true fulfillment.
As we wrap up the "Pray First" Series we will be focusing on Persistence in Prayer. Our scriptural inspiration will be the story of the persistent widow in chapter 18 of Luke's gospel. This widow repeatedly comes to an unjust and indifferent judge and finally, after her pestering, gets justice. Jesus shares this parable with his disciples, "to show them that they should always pray and not give up." In many ways, the parable raises more questions than it answers. Let's discover what persistent prayer looks like.
Does your prayer life often depend on your situation? Do you find it easier to pray when life is difficult but when life is going according to plan you forget to pray because you don't know what to pray for? Maybe the frequency of our prayer shouldn't depend on our situation. Find out what happens when we make Prayer our Priority.
In Part Two of this series, we will consider a notable passage of scripture from the Old Testament, a wonderful and dramatic story concerning the prophet Elijah as he confronts the prophets of Baal. In it, Elijah prays one of the most powerful prayers in scripture - and yet it's powerfully simple. It's delightful how this ancient story has an incredible amount of content to teach us about the Power of Prayer.
This week we kick off our "Pray 1st" series. Is your prayer filled with requests? Are they left answered or unanswered? Maybe you don't have any type of prayer life because you feel that what's going to happen is going to happen anyway. Maybe prayer is far less about our requests, and them being answered... maybe our approach has been misdirected. This week we will talk about the Purpose of Prayer.
Is there a right religion? Why are we here? How do I handle suffering and tragedy? Is the Bible trustworthy? ... Have you ever asked these types of questions? Is there any room for doubt with a person who has faith in Jesus? One of Jesus' disciples, Thomas, has been dubbed forever as 'doubting Thomas' because he was slow to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. There is probably a little bit of Thomas in everyone of us, but many of us are afraid of the questions. In a culture that values empirical truth and certitude is there room for doubt today in the disciples of Jesus? Thomas gives us hope that there is. This week, we will jump off from the song "Doubting Thomas" by a band called Nickel Creek.
In Part Five of this series we consider a pop tune from 2014, "Geronimo" by Sheppard, an indie pop band based out of Australia. This sibling band is comprised of George, Emma and Amy Sheppard as well as three other members. Their catchy pop tune "Geronimo" is built around the daring sense of RISK it took for the American-Indian "invader" and "raider" to impact his generation. That same sense of risk is a vital attribute that not only typified this legendary warrior, but embodies every follower of Christ as well.
In this series "God Through My iPod", we continue to enjoy some of the Pastors' favourite tunes, from current to classic, and what God might be saying to us through lyrics that reflect ancient Biblical truths disguised in these contemporary trappings. In Part Four of this series we will look at one of the greatest pop guitarists/writers/performers of this millennium, John Mayer. One of his first hits "No Such Thing" is a delightful reflection on his emergence as an adult, looking forward to his high school reunion. What might God be saying to us through His word and guitar driven contemporary rock?
U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" has been capturing people's imaginations and hearts since it was released in 1987. What is it about this song that draws people in? Besides The Edge's captivating guitar lines and driving rhythm from Larry Mullen Jr., there is a hope and longing in the song that is reflected in the human heart and the heart of God. This week we will allow the song to guide us to dream of a place without labels and division... a place that, as Jesus reveals, is more than just a dream.
Music can make us sing, move us to dance, and compels us to reflect. One of the earliest ways to express our love to God was through song. In this sermon series we are drawing out God inspired messages in some of our favourite lyrics. This week we will be looking at "Body in a Box" by City and Colour. We will discuss life, death, and a future hope.
We appreciate how God reveals Himself in many wonderful and unique ways. He does this through creation, through His people, through the poor, and through the arts both secular and sacred. In this series "God Thru my iPod" we will be enjoying some of the Pastors' favourite tunes, from current to classic, and what God might be saying to us through lyrics that reflect ancient Biblical truths disguised in these contemporary trappings. In Part One of this series we will look at one of the all-time feel-good hits from the year 1977, "Mr. Blue Sky" by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). What might God be saying to us through His Word and 70's classic rock?
Part of SunWest's vision is to Equip and Release people to fulfill God's mission. It is a joy to see this happen and to see some of SunWest's up and coming leaders grow in their gifting. The message this week will be given by Nate Wilson, a SunWest Intern who has participated in SunWest Ministry School this past year. Come and embrace our vision to Equip and Release others! We will also be celebrating baptisms and have some Father's Day features.
Part of SunWest's vision is to Equip and Release people to fulfill God's mission...It is a joy to see this happen and the next two Sundays will allow intentional opportunity for some of SunWest's up and coming leaders to grow in their gifting. The messages for the next two weeks will be given by SunWest Interns who have participated in SunWest Ministry School this past year. Come be challenged and encouraged by these young leaders and embrace our vision to Equip and Release others!
That sound. You know that sound... when you get that e-mail, that text, that message. You're talking to someone, sitting at the table, at church, with family, sleeping, and when you hear it you are taken out of that moment into a different one. For all of the promise of efficiency that technology has brought, it seems to simply make us more busy and less present. Although technology is changing there is nothing new about technological advancement. Thousands of years ago God invited people in the midst of change to observe something called Sabbath. It may be old, but it's never been more relevant. Rediscover what your soul needs, and realize that there's NO app for that.
How many followers do you have on Twitter or Instagram? How many friends on Facebook? Is it possible that as our network gets broader our relationships get shallower? As we dictate the information we receive and we give; as we pick and choose who to follow and who we allow to follow us; as we create a network of relationships through virtual means; maybe we have unknowingly missed the life changing gift of messy, selfless, Jesus centred community. What would a social network look like that was face to face, messy, Jesus centred, and that cared more about the interest of others than self? Join us this week as we consider our social network.
Browser. History. What comes to mind when you think of those two words? Our virtual trail is revealing. Where our treasure is (read time & money) is where we will find our heart's desires. What does your treasure tell you? What encourages you about that and what discourages you? Before you clear your browser history let's take an honest look in the mirror and consider what it tells us about ourselves and how it shapes who we are becoming.
Have you ever been misunderstood in a text conversation? Have you ever observed a Facebook argument go south really fast? How would Jesus handle conflict in a digital age? If he had a soap box would he leverage all the tools at our disposal to make his opinions known? Next time we are about to comment on someone's post, or we are about to post something ourselves, we should consider WWJT (what would Jesus type?). Please join us face to face this Sunday as we look at the advantages and disadvantages that technology brings regarding how we handle conflict and soap boxes.
2,000 years ago the internet wasn't invented. This phenomenon shapes and forms the way we do life, relationships, conflict, community, communication, and more. Jesus invites each of us to follow him (and he wasn't referring to Twitter). If Jesus had a Facebook account how would he manage it? What would he post or pin? How would he manage conflict?... Friend groups? What would his browser history reveal? Even in light of the lack of phones, computers, and social networks 2000 years ago, we believe that Jesus has much to teach us in our technology saturated world. Join us as we explore what it means to follow Jesus online.
Over the last two weeks we've been encouraged to grow the Kingdom, God's way, to bring His Kingdom here to earth. What should that look like? As we share God with others and as we help others look to Him, how do we best go about that? Should we yell at people, hit them over the head with a Bible, tell them off for being "sinners", set up an outdoor circus tent and have meetings, or sing a lot of country music so folks will come and hear about Jesus? These are all good questions. But what does the Bible say about the look of God's message and His Kingdom taking root in others? Come this Sunday and learn about "The Context for Kingdom Expansion".
Multiplication is a buzz word. The big question is : Why should a disciple or a congregation multiply? Today we will discuss "Why Multiply?".
From the outset of Jesus' ministry through the first century and into today, God's plan is for the church to be the visible representation of God's Kingdom. The church gives voice to God's truth, observable evidence of God's grace, practical examples of God's love and transformative experiences of God's community. The church is the agent through which God's Spirit does His transforming work in the world - when the church is aligned with God's plan and purpose. Jesus never told us to build great churches; He said He would build world-changing churches through us.
We are concerned about our planet these days. There has been a lot of debate about global warming and climate change, but either way there is far too much pollution, there are copious emissions floating around our atmosphere; there is a lot to be concerned about. Unfortunately it's not just a problem that's floating around in the air. It's everywhere. But this Sunday particularly THIS Sunday there is good news. Very good news. The best news. Transformation is all around us. Things are improving dramatically.
Jesus said that He was the good shepherd, in contrast to bad shepherds that were talked about in Ezekiel 34. A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep while a bad shepherd functions like a hired hand who leaves when there is trouble. What is the significance for us that Jesus is the good shepherd? What would it look like if He was our model? What if we started shepherding others like He does instead of simply being a hired hand? Come and consider how Jesus guides us and the implications that has on the places we have influence.
"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die." John 11:25.
This week we look at a fifth "I Am" statement that Jesus makes: "I Am the resurrection and the life." At some point in life we all face dead ends. Whether it's jobs, finances, family, relationships or whatever the situation is, disappointment and discouragement is something everyone encounters.
Jesus' incredible claim that He is "the resurrection and the life" is not just a story that happened two thousand years ago but is something that we can experience right now. The Resurrection is not just an event... it is a person. This morning, we look at how this claim altered the lives of Jesus' closest friends; Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
Jesus claimed that before Abraham was on the scene, he already existed. As if that wasn't controversial enough, Jesus, using the language of a conversation between God and Moses, used God's language claiming to be the great "I AM". This Sunday, we will review what is perhaps the prickliest of statements when he declares "I AM the true vine". The implications of this particular claim are the strongest and the heaviest of the seven.
In week four of the "I AM" series, we will look at Jesus' statement that He is the gate. In John 10:9, Jesus says "I am the gate. Those who come through me will be saved." On Sunday, we will look at what it means to be disciples of Jesus and belong to God and how we live that out.
In part two of the "I AM" series we will unpack Jesus' statement, "I am the way, truth and life." This was the revolutionary kind of claim that could get somebody killed. Jesus really ticked off the establishment with these words. Oddly enough, it's still upsetting people today, but mostly religious people. There is something profound about words that are 2000 years old that still unsettle folks after all that time. Come explore the part of us that Jesus still wants to mess with.
We are beginning a new sermon series at both campuses this weekend. The "I AM" series will focus on John's gospel where seven times, Jesus declared "I AM"! This week we will start to understand significant components of Jesus' character, who he was, who he claimed to be and the significance of the 7 "I AM" statements. As we get to know Jesus better, we understand the Father better, and we gain solid theological understanding. It helps us become more specifically like Jesus, so ultimately we are prepared to transform our world. In part one we will unpack Jesus' I AM statement, "I am the Bread of Life."
For the past three weeks, we have been exploring the questions that we all ask that begin with "If God is Good...". God's response to this question was not an idea but a person and Jesus was not only the answer but the window through which we anticipate a new heaven and a new earth. This hopeful future drastically changes the way we as Jesus followers live in the midst of our world today. Please join us as we conclude the series and imagine a world without evil.
2015 brought many headlines that reminded us of the pain, suffering, and evil that exists in this world. It is at moments such as these where many people ask, where is God? Or, if God is good then why is there suffering, pain, evil...? These are mysterious questions that the church has wrestled with at many times throughout its history. We won't pretend to have all the answers, but we will enter the question with you and with our world. This week's title is "The Crucified God".
2015 brought many headlines that reminded us of the pain, suffering, and evil that exists in this world. It is at moments such as these where many people ask, where is God? Or, if God is good then why is there suffering, pain, evil...? These are mysterious questions that the church has wrestled with at many times throughout its history. We won't pretend to have all the answers, but we will enter the question with you and with our world.
2015 brought many headlines that reminded us of the pain, suffering, and evil that exists in this world. It is at moments such as these where many people ask, where is God? Or, if God is good then why is there suffering, pain, evil...? These are mysterious questions that the church has wrestled with at many times throughout its history. We won't pretend to have all the answers, but we will enter the question with you and with our world.
In this message, Clarity 2016, we will look at some of the "big picture" issues concerning the direction of SunWest. Proverbs 29:18 tells us that "where there is no vision, the people perish". We want to be clear about our vision. Vision is two-fold: it's a desired goal or ideal, but it also includes the practical steps to get there. As we start off the year, it's very important that we all be on the same page knowing what our plan is, some practical steps to get there as well as a few down to earth applications.
We all have our favourite one hit wonders from "Mississippi Queen" to "Lean on Me" to "Life is a Highway". The Christmas story has a couple of individuals who made their musical debut as well. These songs weren't written for radio but for us, to reveal something about God, Jesus and His plan for the world. Join us as we look at what these songs tell us about Christmas and their ongoing relevance for today.
We all have our favourite one hit wonders from "Mississippi Queen" to "Lean on Me" to "Life is a Highway". The Christmas story has a couple of individuals who made their musical debut as well. These songs weren't written for radio but for us, to reveal something about God, Jesus and His plan for the world. Join us as we look at what these songs tell us about Christmas and their ongoing relevance for today.
"How much longer?" "Are we there yet?" We've all said these words at some point, and heard these words from others. While dealing with the impatient can test our patience, the question is a legitimate one: how do we know when we get to where we are going? What does it look like? Is there an end coming soon? Although the relationship and mission that Jesus invites us to with Him is a life long one, our 'destination' is right in-front of us. Join us as we close this four-week series articulating where we're going and how we know when we get there.
Road Trip! Who doesn't like a good road trip? The Bible tells the story about a journey. A journey that started thousands of years ago, and a journey that you are a part of, and that SunWest is a part of still today. Just like any road trip we need to think about where we are going, who is coming, how are we going to get there, and what are the obstacles that could stop us. This week we will look at Car Sickness, Flat Tires and Bathroom Breaks...the things that deter us from going where we want to go.
To "manifest" means to display or show by one's acts or appearance. As Christians, we can all display the Goodness of God in radical and practical ways that will change our community. Come this Sunday and learn from guest speaker Ian Green, how you can be simply brilliant.
Road Trip! Who doesn't like a good road trip? The Bible tells the story about a journey. A journey that started thousands of years ago, and a journey that you are a part of, and that SunWest is a part of still today. Just like any road trip we need to think about where we are going, who is coming, how are we going to get there, and what are the obstacles that could stop us. SunWest has just celebrated our 20th anniversary and it is time to think about what's next. Join us for Part 2 of the series "Are We There Yet?" and re-imagine the journey that God has invited you to be a part of.
Road Trip! Who doesn't like a good road trip? The Bible tells the story about a journey. A journey that started thousands of years ago, and a journey that you are a part of, and that SunWest is a part of still today. Just like any road trip we need to think about where we are going, who is coming, how are we going to get there, and what are the obstacles that could stop us. SunWest has just celebrated our 20th anniversary and it is time to think about what's next. Join us for the four week series "Are We There Yet?" and re-imagine the journey that God has invited you to be a part of.
This Sunday morning, at both campuses of SunWest, marks the start of a 3-day series, part of the "New Season" mini-conference, showing how to move into preparation for what God is doing these days and what He is about to do. Finances are a significant key since the Scripture mentions money over 2000 times. Jesus taught that the placement of our money shows where our hearts are! Revelation of what God is doing in this New Season comes through Biblical understanding and activating the teaching on the Abrahamic Covenant of Blessings. It is also reflected in Malachi 3:1-12 - activating the promise of supernatural provision. This message will be life-changing as we learn how to actualize the fulness of His promises and activate what is coming for this "New Season".
In Part 4 of the Right on the Money series we will look at a Biblical word which might as well be a four-letter-word: prosperity. Arguably, "prosperity" is one of the most abused words in the entire Bible. However, the solution for abuse is not "disuse". In this message we will look at a Biblically balanced doctrine of prosperity. You heard me, "balanced". It's Biblical. It's right. We just need to understand the Scripture better to embrace this misused truth; not to justify decadent selfishness, but to increase the Kingdom God's way.
In Part 3 of the Right on the Money series we will reflect on one of the most powerful stories of sacrifice in the Old Testament. David, a precursor of Jesus, selflessly made an offering to God after he had made a major mistake that cost his nation dearly. In the purity of the moment, David embraces the humility of the situation and offers a statement that rings loudly today, thousands of years later. Because David's wealth and affluence is very close to today's Canadian lifestyle it's a sobering challenge for us, especially as Calgarians.
In part two of "Right on the Money" we will come to appreciate the biblical concept and lifestyle of generosity. We all want to be generous, so, what's the hold up? As a lifestyle of generosity is embraced and developed, the "open heaven" of God's blessing will only expand and increase in our lives as we continue to walk in faith with our finances.
In this series we will come to understand just how frequently the Bible talks about money. It's a subject that a lot of churches want to avoid, but the Bible doesn't avoid it even remotely! God is very interested in how we manage our finances and speaks to that issue repeatedly. It's not a big moneygrab for the sake of perpetuating religion; actually, it all comes down to what is at the core of Christianity, a microcosm of faith. It's a simple issue of trust.