Seneca Community Church Messages: Recent Episodes
Dave Spencer
What if worship is not just something that prepares you for the battle, but one of the most powerful ways you fight it? Join us for “Worship Is the War” as, through the life of David, we discover how praise strengthens our souls, shifts our perspective, and turns our hearts toward God in seasons of struggle, pressure, and uncertainty. When life feels overwhelming, the way forward may not be striving harder, but letting worship lead the way.
Based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, we’ll explore what it looks like to love others in the unexpected, unselfish, and enduring way God calls us to love.
Think about your walk with Jesus. Where have you seen growth, and where might God still be inviting you to grow? Join us as we wrap up our Walk This Way series. We’ll look at five simple ways we can keep growing in our relationship with Jesus and living out our faith through the word SMILE.
Think about a time when a GPS or your own sense of direction led you somewhere unexpected. What clues convinced you that you were on the wrong road? What did you have to do to get back on the right path? Join us as we continue our message series, Walk This Way, with Part 6: The Only Way.
Think of a time when you went somewhere expecting to feel like an outsider, but instead were welcomed like family. What made you feel like you belonged? Join us as we continue our message series, Walk This Way. We’ll talk about the concept of family and how it might change how we think about salvation.
Join us as John Herrick, our Difference-Maker Partner in Ireland, shares a message based on John 3:16.
Think of a time when you had to choose between what you wanted and what was right. Looking back, are you glad you made the choice you did? Join us as we continue our message series, Walk This Way. We’ll talk about what worship really means when we’re walking with God, and how surrender ultimately leads to freedom.
Think about someone you have spent a lot of time with over the years. What habits, sayings, attitudes, or characteristics did you pick up from them? Why do you think we naturally become like the people we spend the most time with? Join us as we continue our message series, Walk This Way. We’ll talk about how walking with God, through good times and bad, transforms us into someone who loves like Jesus.
Ever wish you could instantly become an expert at any one skill? If you had that chance, would you choose a skill that would help other people, or just you? What would you pick and why? Join us as we continue our message series, Walk This Way. We’ll talk about the shape God gave us and what He wants us to do with it.
Ever wish you had a detailed instruction manual for your life? If someone gave you one, would you read it or figure things out as you go? Join us as we start our new message series, Walk This Way. We’ll talk about why God created us and how we should respond.
Think about it: What is one misstep or sin that you have tried to cover up, but that eventually “found you out”? Few things reveal what is really going on in our hearts like the way we handle what God has given us. Join us as we wrap up our series Future Proof with Part 7: Your Money. Together, we’ll look at how generosity is not just about a better budget, but about a deeper relationship with God and a life that is whole, surrendered, and secure in Him.
Think about it: What’s something you once believed would finally satisfy you, only to discover that having it still left you wanting more? Maybe our deepest longings are not just cravings to be fulfilled, but clues that point to something greater than what this world can give. Join us as we continue our series Future Proof with Part 6: Your Desire, and explore how God speaks into our longings, our intimacy, and our sexuality in a world that often promises freedom without wholeness, connection without covenant, and satisfaction apart from the One who made us.
Think about it: Why do some friendships and relationships go the distance while others run out of steam? Maybe lasting love has less to do with perfect chemistry and more to do with faithful commitment. Join us as we continue our series Future Proof with Part 5: Your Love, and explore how God designed relationships to be rooted in covenant, not reduced to a contract, in a world where commitment is often treated as optional, and love is easily redefined.
Think about it: What’s one value or lesson you grew up with that means even more to you now than it did when you were younger? Join us as we continue our series Future Proof with Part 4: Your Family, and explore how to build strong, lasting foundations for our homes in a world where culture, priorities, and values are constantly changing.
Think about it: When do you most often find yourself reaching for your phone without even thinking, and what are you really looking for in that moment? Connection, escape, comfort, or control? Join us as we continue our series Future Proof with Part 3: Your Matrix, and explore how the patterns of our attention may be shaping more of our lives than we realize, and what it could look like to realign with what matters most.
Think about it: What is something you have owned, built, or used that looked strong at first but did not hold up over time? What habits or choices have you changed as a result? Join us as we continue our new message series, Future Proof, with Part 2: Your Faith, and talk about the importance of a strong foundation.
Think about it: What’s one decision or habit you thought would “future-proof” your life? And in a culture full of distractions, what makes it so hard to stay spiritually alert? Join us as we start our new message series, Future Proof, with Part 1: Your Life, and explore what it really means to build a life that lasts.
Have you ever been completely wrong about what was happening in your life, only to realize later that something bigger was unfolding? In Luke 24:13–35, two followers of Jesus walked a road filled with confusion, disappointment, and unanswered questions. What they didn’t realize was that hope was walking right beside them. Join us as we wrap up our message series, The Road to Life, with Part 4: The Promise. We'll explore why it’s so easy to misread what God is doing in difficult moments, and how His promises are still at work, even when we can’t see the full picture.
Easter is more than a moment, it’s an invitation. Join us for Part 3 of The Road to Life, as we revisit the first Easter morning and the mix of emotions that came with it: confusion, wonder, and hope. Whether you’ve followed Jesus for years or you’re still exploring what you believe, this message will invite you to consider what the resurrection means for your life today and how the empty tomb might be the green light that moves you forward into something new.
We hate waiting. We hate slowing down. We hate feeling stuck. But some of the most important things God does in our lives happen when everything feels like it’s come to a stop. Join us for our Good Friday service as we discover how God is still moving, even when life feels like it is stuck at a red light.
Have you ever been really excited about something, only for it to turn out completely different than you expected? Maybe it was a plan, a relationship, a prayer, or a season of life you were sure would go one way, but didn’t. That gap between expectation and reality can leave us confused, frustrated, or even questioning where God is in it all. Join us as we begin our new message series, “The Road to Life,” with a look at the first Palm Sunday. We’ll see how a crowd full of expectation quickly changed when things didn’t go as planned, and what it means for us to keep trusting God, even when the road takes an unexpected turn.
Who has God placed in your life that might need a seed planted… or a little watering? And if the moment came, would you feel ready? Join us as we wrap up our message series, Intimidation, with Part 3: Be Ready. Together, we’ll look at how to recognize those opportunities and be ready to share your faith in simple, meaningful ways.
Most of us can point to someone who shaped our lives for the better. What made their influence so powerful? Was it what they said… or how they lived? Join us for Intimidation - Part 2: Be Real, as we talk about why sharing our faith can sometimes feel intimidating, and how ordinary people can make a real impact simply by living out their faith in everyday life.
Have you ever tried to grow a plant or garden? Sometimes it thrives… sometimes it doesn’t. Growing anything takes patience, care, and time, and the same is true in our faith conversations with others. Join us as we begin our new series, Intimidation, with Part 1: Be Relevant, exploring a question many people ask: Is Jesus still relevant today? Discover how everyday followers of Jesus can represent Him in authentic and meaningful ways.
We guard our homes, our money, our passwords, and our families. But what about our hearts? Join us for Not On Hold – Part 5: Unguarded. We’ll look at Matthew 6:12-13 and the hidden places we become vulnerable. An unforgiving heart. Resentment left unchecked. Temptation underestimated. Fear that quietly takes over. Fortunately, when we pray as Jesus teaches us to, those vulnerable places become guarded against temptation and its attack.
“What is it?” That’s what Israel asked when God provided manna. It wasn’t familiar. It wasn’t what they would have chosen. But it was exactly what they needed. Join us as we discover how hunger can become an invitation, and why daily need may have a deeper purpose.
In our lives, we all have moments we’d skip. Conversations we’d mute. Mistakes we’d rewind. Seasons we’d fast-forward. Join us as we continue our message series, Not On Hold, with Part 3: Wanting What God Wants, and talk about how prayer isn’t a remote control. It’s not about controlling outcomes but aligning hearts.
When you need help with something (tech issue, home repair, directions, health question), who or what do you usually go to first—Google, a person, YouTube, customer service, or prayer? Why do you think that’s your default? What does that reveal about trust and urgency? Join us as we continue our message series, Not On Hold, with Part 2: Before You Ask, and talk about how prayer recenters our focus, and our lives, on God.
Ever been invited somewhere but hesitated to show up, unsure if you belonged or what to expect? Many of us approach prayer the same way, holding back and waiting for the “right” moment. Join us as we begin our new message series, Not On Hold, with Part 1: Direct Access, and discover that prayer doesn’t start with getting it right, but with realizing the door is already open.
Think of a time when you tried really hard to be loving, and a time when love came naturally. What was different about those two moments? Join us as we wrap up our message series, God With Us, with Part 9: Forever. We’ll discover how life with God shapes a love that shows up in our everyday lives.
What’s the longest you’ve ever waited for something important, and what did that waiting do to you? We all know what it’s like to wait for something that matters. Join us as we look at how God meets us in the waiting and how His presence shapes our hope.
Have you recovered from Christmas and New Year's yet, or are they still going on for you and your family? The holidays can be a busy time, and it's easy to let that distract us from the message of Christmas: God With Us. It's not just a message, it's a life mantra we should live by in every season. Join us for God With Us - Part 7: In Next Steps for a time to reflect and consider how the message of Jesus motivates us to worship Him in each next step we take.
Christmas reminds us that God didn’t stay distant. He came near. In our fear of being alone, our striving to do things right, and even in our brokenness, God is with us. Join us as we continue our series God With Us with Part 6: In Everything. We’ll see how the miracle of Christmas is not that life gets easier, but that God is present in everything.
What’s something small that makes a big difference when it’s dark—a nightlight, a phone flashlight, a porch light? Darkness often feels heavier than it really is. Join us this Christmas Eve, as we reflect on the truth that God is with us—even in the night
Charlie Brown asked it first: What is Christmas really all about? This time of year, where do you see performance replacing presence, and what stresses you most this season? Join us as we continue our series God With Us with Part 4: In Doing. We’ll talk about how to trade Christmas (and year-round) pressure for meaningful presence.
Ever thought about the first Christmas and what it must have felt like to be there? Peaceful? Nope! Chaos. Stress. Pressure. But through it all, God showed up exactly where He was needed the most. Join us as we explore how, when everything feels out of control, one birth brought hope, and that hope is still available today.
Ever followed the directions perfectly and still ended up lost? That’s what life without pursuit feels like. Read Matthew 2:1–12 and think about how Herod had truth but wouldn’t take the six-mile journey, while the Magi had limited light and followed it anyway. Join us for Part 2 of our new series, God With Us, as we talk about how to take your next step toward life with God and choose relationship over religion.
Waiting is hard — whether it’s for a package, a prayer, or a promise. But we don’t wait alone. The God who came close at Christmas still comes close today. Join us as we start our new series, God With Us, and talk about learning to wait with Him.
, with Part 3: Helping Without Hurting, and talk about what to do when people in our lives are hard to help.
, with Part 2: Manipulators, and dive into those ‘yes when you really meant no’ moments and what they teach us about life, relationships, and faith.
, with Part 1: How to Hug a Porcupine, and talk about how to love the prickly people in our lives: with patience and grace.
Did you ever buy something that you thought would make your life better, but didn’t? Why is it that we sometimes strive to fill our barns, but not our hearts? Join us as we wrap up our message series, Imperfect Together, with Part 7: When Less Is More, and look at how to find contentment with what we have and how we share it with those around us.
Let's play the “More or Less?” Game! Fill in these blanks: “I wish I had more ________. I wish I had less ________.” Keep it light at first (e.g., “more sleep,” “less traffic,” “more vacation days”), then go a little deeper (“more patience,” “less stress,” “more contentment”). Join us for Imperfect Together, Part 6: The More Trap, as we see how God has a plan for our lives - what to hold on to, and what to let go of.
What’s your best ‘seemed like a good idea at the time’ story? It could be a funny flop, a recipe gone wrong, or a shortcut that totally backfired. Join us as we continue our new message series, Imperfect Together, with Part 5: At Every Age and Stage, and find out how, instead of doing what is right in our own eyes, we can rely on God and continue to walk and grow in His truths.
According to the New York Post, Charlie Kirk’s memorial service last Sunday has racked up 20 million views and counting, not to mention the popularity of short videos with lines like “I forgive him” from Erika Kirk, “We are Charlie” from other speakers, and the many posts of “Here I am, send me” from Isaiah 6:8. As Christ-followers, the story of Charlie’s death and memorial might be causing us to stop and ask, “Do I measure up to this?” Come find your answer this Sunday, as we continue our message series, Imperfect Together, and find out how to measure our maturity. You might find you’re using the wrong measuring stick.
Which of these “styles” best describes the way you most often use words: a spark plug (energizes others quickly), a traffic cop (directs and corrects), a cheerleader (encourages and lifts up), a construction worker (builds steadily over time), or a storm cloud (brings tension or heaviness)? Join us as we continue our new message series, Imperfect Together, and find out why we need to watch our words.
What’s one object in your house that’s old, worn, or ugly — but you’d never get rid of it because, according to someone you live with, it’s just so comfortable? Is this discussed a lot, or is everyone on the same page? Now let’s dig a little deeper: When you were growing up, how did your family handle conflict — silence, harsh words, or healthy conversations? What about today? Join us as we continue our new message series, Imperfect Together, and find out how to have conversations that count.
Ever tried to take on a project, trip, or challenge all by yourself and later thought, ‘Man, this would’ve been so much better with someone else’? On the flip side, what’s a duo you love—whether it’s Batman and Robin, peanut butter and jelly, or something wild like ice cream and pretzels—that just works better together? Join us as we start our new message series with Imperfect Together - Part 1: Side by Side and talk about God's plan for healthy connections in our lives and how important they are.
When you hear “Chain Reaction,” do you think fast or slow? We usually picture dominoes, explosions, or baking soda and vinegar. But slower reactions happen all around us—iron rusting, rocks eroding, fruit ripening. The same is true in our lives: daily choices create ripple effects that shape our future and impact others. Join us for The Seeking King, Part 25: Chain Reaction, as we explore how David’s story in 2 Samuel 11 and beyond shows a slow chain reaction of misplaced attention—and how our influence can set off a chain reaction worth noticing.
We've all been there. Life is stressful sometimes and doesn’t go as planned. You’ve made mistakes you’d rather forget and felt hurts you’d rather not feel. How do you react to these situations? Do you find yourself getting frustrated, afraid, or hopeless, or is there something bigger you can trust? Join us as we continue our message series, The Seeking King, with Part 24: Broken Pieces, as we talk about how David reacted to Absalom’s rebellion by trusting in God’s plan.
Have you ever experienced that slow-motion feeling of watching something fall and break into a million pieces? Have you ever tried to put together those pieces, knowing that the object would never be the same? Join us Sunday as we continue our message series, The Seeking King, with Part 23: Shattered, as we talk about maintaining sexual purity, a significant challenge we all face in life, and the grace and direction God gives us to help meet it.
Two weeks ago, we started a message about the oxymoron "awful good" and heard about how God's awful goodness can become fuel for our life of faith. This week, we will finish that message with a look at 2 Samuel 6 along with Psalm 139:1-16 and consider how the God-inspired writer of that Psalm reflected the idea of "awful good."
Do you ever feel like you’re too far gone and have messed up too badly to come to God? Have you ever started by doing the right thing and then ended up in a place you never wanted to be? Join us as we continue our message series, The Seeking King, with Part 21: Too Far Gone? and hear about the story of David's biggest mess-up, which might affect how you see yourself.
When was the last time you were at a hospital emergency room? How long did you have to wait? How physically and emotionally challenging was it? What did you do to pass the time? Can you think of a time (past or present) when you have felt stuck waiting for God to do something? Join us as we continue our message series, The Seeking King, with Part 19: Hurry Up and Wait, and hear about how God has a purpose for our waiting.
When you first come across this idea, it may not seem to make much sense, but it's true that great failures don’t always lead to tragic endings. Can you think of someone who stumbled but ultimately, God redeemed the end of their story? Join us as we jump back into our message series, The Seeking King, with Part 18: Finished, and find out what we can do to make sure we finish well. Get a head start by reading 1 Samuel 28.
Have you ever had the opportunity to do something, but didn't because you didn't know what to do? How true was that assessment? Would you let your kids or employees get away with it? How have you let the concept that you “don’t know what to do” stand in the way of getting off your “but”? Join us as we continue our message series, Replenish, with Part 5: Re-Engage, and talk about how service, or making a difference, is a crucial part of our growth and faith. Get a head start by reading Galatians 6:4-5.
Can you remember a time before you had a smartphone, tablet, or computer? (Your answer to this is greatly affected by your age!) How did you spend your time when you were bored? Have you found that while our devices offer us everything, we can also lose ourselves in them? Do you use technology or does it use you? Join us as we continue our message series, Replenish, with Part 4: Resist, as we talk about technology and its impact on our lives.
Those pesky warning lights on our vehicle dashboards - sometimes we don't even know what they mean, but sometimes we do and ignore them anyway. Have you done that? What happened? Join us as we continue our message series, Replenish, with Part 3: Renew, and find out what the "warning lights" are in our personal lives and how important it is not to ignore those, either.
Have you ever had to reset any electronic or non-electronic devices? What is involved in those kinds of resets? Why do we avoid resetting them? How bad did it have to get before you would take the time to do the reset? Join us as we continue our new message series, Replenish, with Part 2: Reset, and talk about how we may need a reset in our own lives.
What’s the most relaxing vacation you’ve ever had? Did it replenish you? Why did you need to be replenished? Join us as we start our new message series, Replenish, with Part 1: Restless, and look at how a Christ follower can work on loving and living from a healthy soul. Take a look at Ephesians 1:11-12 MSG to get started.
In the last month, New York State lawmakers responded to the rise of child mental health crises, including anxiety, depression, lack of focus, addictions, and self-harm, with a statewide smartphone ban in public schools. You may agree or disagree with their decision, but the evidence of a decline in mental health can’t be ignored. But you probably don’t need any evidence. You or a loved one live it every day. As you navigate our world of always connected and always alone, how will you respond? Perhaps a bigger question is, how does God respond when you’re anxious? Join us as we close out our message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 13: From Messed Up to Dressed Up. We'll end our journey through 1 Peter in Chapter 5:1-14, and see how God “will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10 NIV)
When was the last time you were surprised? What has been one of your most unanticipated surprises? Whether you like them or not, we can all accept that surprises are part of life. Then why are we often so surprised when trials come our way? Join us as we jump back into our message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 12: Surprise! Get a head start by reading 1 Peter 4:12-19. We will look at how trials test our faith and how, if we continue to trust God, we can live out of a place of joy, surprises or no surprises!
Suffering. No one wants to go through it, but afterward, we can usually look back and see how it helped us grow. How do you think suffering can help us become more like Jesus? Do you see suffering as a snare or a springboard? In other words, is it a hindrance to your faith or a tool that brings you closer to God? Join us as we jump back into our message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 11: Changed... Right? Get a head start by reading 1 Peter 4:1-11 and think about an experience of suffering you have faced that you are grateful for, even though you wouldn’t want to endure it again
Have you ever participated in a team-building activity called a “Trust Fall”? How did it go? Who are you willing to trust enough to fall into their arms blindly? Join us as we wrap up our message series, When Love Speaks: Last Words from the Cross, with Part 7: Trust Fall. We'll hear about Jesus' final words (in Luke 23:44–47) and the ultimate “Trust Fall” while also considering how being a Christ Follower is like living out one “Trust Fall” after another.
Like most action movies, many scenes in the movie franchise Mission: Impossible really are impossible. There are so many parts that come together to finish with the words, “That’s a wrap!” How does the life and completed assignment of Jesus seem like Mission Impossible? What are all the “unbelievable” parts that come together so that Jesus can say “Tetelestai” (it is finished)? How does that change everything? Join us as we continue to learn from Jesus' last words from the cross in our series, When Love Speaks - Part 6: Mission Impossible. Get a head start by reading John 19:30.
When was a time you were exceptionally thirsty? What did it feel like? How did you go about quenching your thirst? Read John 19:28-29 and join us for our Easter Sunday Service, as we continue our series, When Love Speaks: Last Words from the Cross, with Part 5: Thirst.
What is your favorite love story? Your first answer to that question was most likely about a romantic relationship, but what about the love between a parent and a child or other family relationships? In many verses throughout the Bible, Christ followers are directed to love, honor, and respect our parents, our family members, and by extension, other Christians. This attitude was modeled by Jesus on the cross, when even amid great pain and suffering, some of His last thoughts were about us (the world) and those standing beneath the cross (Mary and John). Get a head start by reading John 19:25-27 and then join us as we continue our Easter message series, When Love Speaks: Last Words from the Cross, with Part 3: There You Are.
How does uncertainty affect life? How about relationships? Think back to the last time you were in a dating relationship. How did you move from being uncertain to being certain and assured? Join us as we continue our Easter message series, When Love Speaks: Last Words from the Cross, with Part 2: Assurance. We'll see how Jesus' words to the criminal on the cross (in Luke 23:35-43) give us the option to choose assurance (and the redemption that goes with it) instead of rejection.
What kind of trips have you been on recently? A vacation with family, traveling for work? When was the last time you were on a guilt trip? Was it actually God-given conviction or guilt from another source? Join us as we begin our Easter message series, When Love Speaks: Last Words from the Cross, with Part 1: Guiltless. We'll look at the role of guilt and conviction in a Christ-follower's life and discover the power behind Jesus' first last words from the Cross. Get a head start by reading Luke 23:32–37.
When have you received a word of encouragement that came at just the right time? What difference did it make? Have you ever given (or received) advice that wasn't asked for? How might advice be received differently when it's requested? Our words matter - not just what we say but how we say it. Join us as we look at 1 Peter 3:8-12 and consider how to apply these truths to our words and conversations.
Athletes understand that a vital aspect of competing is the importance of focus. If you are not concentrated on the goal, you will lose. The same is true spiritually - it’s deadly for us to be looking anywhere but forward. Join us as we reflect on a powerful and sobering statement from the words of Jesus in Luke 17:32 and discover how they speak to our lives today.
Have you ever been scrolling social media or watching TV and gotten sick of all the ads? It’s really easy for ads and other influences around us to get in our heads and shape our thinking from the outside. But as Christ followers, we’re called to live from the inside out! This important distinction can greatly impact our self-thoughts and our relationships. Join us as we continue our message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 9: Identity from the Inside Out. We'll look at 1 Peter 3:1-7, and see how our identity in Jesus should turn our relationships inside out.
Many of us would say a large part of our identity comes from our jobs - what we do for "work." But what if that role isn't our only job in life? Where else should we be getting our identity from? And where else should we be working? Join us as we continue our message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 8: Identity Crisis. We'll look at 1 Peter 2:18–25, find out what role Christ-followers are called to fill, and hear about the example Christ left for us to follow.
When we hear the word "identity," many of us think of "identity theft." This is a scary situation that gets talked about a lot but not everyone takes it seriously, at least not until it happens to them. How do identity and identity theft apply to a Christ follower? Do you know anyone with a preconceived notion about Christians? Where did that come from? Join us as we continue our message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 7: Identity Theft. We'll look at 1 Peter 2:11–17 and see how the way we live is an important part of preserving our identity and pointing to Christ.
Who are the book, TV, or movie characters you first think of as helping others? Superman? Mr. Rodgers? Who else? Do you have anything in common with them? Could you play a similar role in the lives of others? Join us as we continue our message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 6: Rock and Role. We'll look at 1 Peter 2:4-12 and see how we may be called to take on a role we hadn't thought of for ourselves before.
Arguing over differing opinions (especially online) is an easy habit to fall into these days. Have you ever experienced “Cancel Culture”? Were you a recipient or, dare we ask, aligned with it? How do you reconcile the two? Join us as we continue our message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 5: Cancel. We'll look at 1 Peter 1:22-2:3, see what behaviors we should be avoiding, and hopefully be involved in God’s restoration of one heart at a time.
Have you ever heard of a AAA TripTik? Have you ever used one? How are they different from what we use now, GPS apps on our phones? Now stop and think about how God's direction for our lives is more like GPS than a TripTik. Does knowing that affect the way you live? Join us as we continue our message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 4: Direction. We'll take a detour from 1 Peter and see how we can trust God for direction in our lives (and what that looks like).
When someone says “That’s different!” what do they mean? Most likely, they're saying that something is weird. When following Christ, what is the distinction between different and weird? Which one should we be? Join us as we continue our message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 3: Different. We'll look at how Peter challenged those who follow Jesus to live holy lives, different from the culture.
Have you ever watched an episode of The Flintstones or The Jetsons? One takes place in the past and one in the future, which makes them different, but what makes them the same? How did they both connect with today?Join us as we continue our new message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 2: Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Today. We'll look at how the past and the future speak to life in the present. Get a head start by reading 1 Peter 1:3–12 MSG.
What are some of the painful experiences in your life that have been worth it? What kept you going in the middle of the painful experience?Join us as we start our new message series, "Traveler: Where is God taking me?" with Part 1: Painful Pleasure. We'll find out how the pain can become a pleasure, even the pain that grows out of following Christ.Whether you are new to faith, checking out faith, or have been following Jesus for years, we are all travelers in life. There are answers, directions, and rest areas in the letter that Peter, one of Jesus' closest friends, wrote, as we'll see throughout this series as we look at the book of 1 Peter.
Jesus is here! We just celebrated Jesus' arrival on earth for Christmas and we celebrate believing in Him. So… what now? Are we done and life is only waiting to go to heaven? As the New Year starts next week, let's ask ourselves, "How are we going to live?"
Join us as we finish our Christmas message series, Home for the Holidays, with Part 5: Home for Good
Do you love your home (and feel at home there) or do you sometimes sense that God has something else in store for you (eternity)? How does that make you feel when you realize that Jesus left his home of heaven and put it all on the line so we could be at home? Join us as we continues our Christmas message series, Home for the Holidays, with Part 4: Living at Home
When did you last feel that you didn’t have a sense of belonging? How did you express that longing for home? Join us as we continue our Christmas message series, Home for the Holidays, with Part 3: Longing for Home. We will keep looking at the concept of “home” and the ultimate place to be.
Hope is Here in the person of Jesus! Does the reality of that statement create an awe that takes your breath away? For many of us, the unconvinced or the convinced, not much creates a state of awe in us. We live in a culture that has basically stripped all of our awe away. Just think of the news that has caught or even captivated your attention recently. The awful gets our attention, but not the awesome. Mary, the mother of Jesus, had a moment to decide whether the news of Gabriel was awful or awesome. She decided awesome and responded: “I belong to the Lord, body and soul,” replied Mary, “let it happen as you say.” And at this the angel left her. (Luke 1:38 Phillips) What would it take for our awes to be more on the side of awesome rather than awful? We will try to unpack that idea in this message, as we learn what it means to live out of the reality that Hope Is Here, especially for the fearful!
When you think of the word “Home” what do you feel? Some of us feel warm, others not so much. Why is that? Join us as we kick off our Christmas message series, Home for the Holidays, with Part 1: Losing Home. We'll take a look at the home we lost in the garden of Eden and how, despite the brokenness of sin, we can find the hope of returning to our true home.Often Dave uses concepts and ideas from a variety of resources when writing a message. If you have any questions regarding these sources, please don't hesitate to contact Dave at daves@senecacommunitychurch.com.
What is the silliest thing you've complained about lately? Slow "high-speed” internet? Broken A/C in your second car? A cracked phone screen? Nothing to watch on TV? Can't find something in the grocery store? It's easy to forget about gratitude when it comes to the "small" things in our lives, but it can happen with the big things, too! Join us for a stand-alone message, "Grateful". We'll see what an attitude of gratitude could unlock in our lives.
Often Dave uses concepts and ideas from a variety of resources when writing a message. If you have any questions regarding these sources, please don't hesitate to contact Dave at daves@senecacommunitychurch.com
Are you familiar with the classic movie, "The Princess Bride"? If you are, you can probably complete Mandy Patinkin's famous line, "My name is Inigo Montoya..." At the end of the movie, he says this: "I have been in the revenge business so long, now that it’s over, I don’t know what to do with the rest of my life." While most of us probably haven't shaped our lives around payback as much as Inigo, it is still easy to let revenge (or even the desire to make things right) quietly control our lives. In our society, it's normal to hit back when we are wronged. We may even justify it by remembering this verse:But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. Exodus 21:23–25 NIVJoin us as we continue our series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, with Part 11: An Eye for an Eye, and look at what God wants us to do when we are wronged.The Program and Message Listening Guide (printable format) with fill-in-the-blanks are available for download on our website.
When have you seen the wrong tool used for the right job? What was the result?Join us for the next installment of our series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted. We will look at 2 Chronicles 7:14, a verse that can be used with good intentions but the wrong way.
"You can do anything if you just believe." That statement may sound like a cat poster when you first read or hear it. However, you may have heard a Bible verse that promises almost the same thing: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) or page 804 in an SCC chair rack BibleIs it true that all you have to do is believe enough in Jesus and you can do anything?Join us for the next installment of Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted - Part 9: I Can Do All Things. We will look at a verse that is on coffee mugs in kitchens everywhere and talk about what it really means for the life of a Christ follower.
Remember the “What would you do for a Klondike Bar?” ads? They are silly but there is some truth to them. Would you do just about anything for a Klondike Bar right now? If not, what foods do you find almost irresistible?Join us for the next installment of Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted - Part 8: No More than You Can Handle. We will look at 1 Corinthians 10:13 (page 783 in an SCC chair rack Bible). What is your understanding of what Paul is getting at in this verse? When have you found those God-inspired words twisted by others or even yourself?
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20 KJV Have you heard this verse before? If not, what is your first impression? If you have, what has your understanding been of it?Join us as we take a look at what this verse (and chapter) tells us, not just about God's presence, but about friendship and restoration. You won't want to miss the next installment of Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted!
If you knew you could ask God for anything and He would do it, what would you ask for? Do you think that's what Jesus is saying in this verse:You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:14 NIV (page 737 in an SCC chair rack Bible)Join us as we continue our series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, with Part 6: Anything! Where some may twist this verse in a way that can bring destruction, we will see how this promise from God really works.
When you hear the word "prosperity," what do you think of? Some of us may think of this verse from Jeremiah:For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV (page 538 in a SCC chair rack Bible)Do you think that idea is (or should be) connected to "The American Dream"? In his book, The Epic of America (1931), James Truslow Adams coined the term when he stated, "The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement." In short, "The American Dream" is the belief that every person has the freedom and opportunity to succeed and attain a better life.Join us as we continue our series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, and look at what God actually promised in that verse (and who he promised it to).
"Money, money, money, money, money!" Where you recognize that song from may be an indicator of your age. Do you remember it from The Apprentice or from the ABBA song? (Maybe you don't recognize it at all!) Here are some of the lyrics:Money, money, money, money, moneySome people got to have itDo things, Do things, do bad things with itDollar bills, y'allFor that lean, mean, mean greenAlmighty dollarTalkin about moneyGive me a nickel, brother can you spare a dimeMoney can drive some people out of their mindsMoney, money, money, money, money If you haven’t figured it out yet, the next installment of Twisters: When God’s Words Get Twisted is about money! Join us as we look at one of the most famous verses in Scripture about money, 1 Timothy 6:10, and find out if money really is the root of all evil.
Do you, or someone you know, always seem to have "bad luck"? How can this be true if "all things work together for our good"? Join us as we continue our series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, and look at Romans 8:28. Together, we'll find out what God really promised us in that verse.
Who is your favorite reality TV judge? Watching those shows can be a guilty pleasure - it's fun to join in and pass judgment on the people along with the judge. But put us in the hot seat and we might not feel the same way! What is one of the first times you remember being judged? How did it make you feel?Join us as we explore Matthew 7:1-6, in our new series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, and look at how these verses are often twisted when we consider judging others and ourselves.
Being alone can be a good thing or a bad thing. How does being alone affect you? Join us for the next installment of The Seeking King - Part 17, as we see what happened to Saul when he isolated himself from God. If you get a chance, read 1 Samuel 28:3-25 NIV, page 204 in an SCC chair rack Bible.
How long do you have to go before you ask for directions? Said another way, how lost do you have to get before you ask for directions? What would a close friend say (or if you’re married what would your spouse say)? In 1 Samuel 27:1-28:3 (page 202 in an SCC chair rack Bible), David gets lost as he moves towards getting trapped between a rock and a hard place. Join us for the next installment of The Seeking King - Part 16, as we see how David responded to being trapped.
Have you ever experienced déjà vu? If you have, how does it make you feel? What does it mean to you? Within the framework of the movie “The Matrix,” déjà vu is a warning. What should it mean to a Christ follower? Join us as we find out how David responded to yet another risky opportunity and what it means for us when we have "spiritual déjà vu." If you get a chance, read 1 Samuel 26:1-25 (page 203 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
Who is the wisest person you know? Not to be harsh, but do you know any fools (or people who have acted foolishly)? Last week, we saw that David took a risk and it turned out to be a God-given faith-building opportunity. This week, we'll see how Nabal, David, and Abigail reacted to the situation they were in. One of them acted like a fool, one acted rashly, and one acted with wisdom and was the hero of the story.Join us as we find out how having a rich relationship with God can help us be wise. If you get a chance, read 1 Samuel 25:1-44 (page 201 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
Pastor Dave often uses concepts and ideas from a variety of resources when writing a message. If you have any questions regarding these sources, please don't hesitate to contact Dave at daves@senecacommunitychurch.com.
God is faithful to make me faithful to Him. How do I respond to His faithfulness? Join us as we look at the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) to see what a faithful response to God looks like.
Faithfulness is a word we say a lot in Christian circles but it’s not just a Christian word. People use it in the context of relationships, work commitments, and more. But what does it mean? How does it change the way we see ourselves and how does it change the way we see God? Come find out as we explore Hebrews 10:19-25.Join us as Josh DePasacreta, our new Associate Pastor, explores the theme of faithfulness in scripture, which shows us (sneak peak) that we need a new heart and that God's heart is always faithful.
Congratulations, you've made it to the end of June! For many of us, this is an extremely busy time of year and we can wind up feeling depleted. When you feel “all used up,” where is the place you look to be refreshed? Back in the day, we were told to "Take the Nestea plunge!" (Look up "Nestea Plunge" on Youtube to find the old commercials.) While there is nothing wrong with a refreshing glass of iced tea when you are thirsty, we can look to the Bible for where to find real refreshment for our lives. Join us as we wrap up our message series, Life Hacks: When You Just Need a Better Way, with Part 10: Refreshed and hear about the ultimate life hack God has laid out for us. If you have the chance, prepare by reading Proverbs 11:25 and Matthew 16:25.
Pastor Dave often uses concepts and ideas from a variety of resources when writing a message. If you have any questions regarding these sources, please don't hesitate to contact Dave at daves@senecacommunitychurch.com.
How do you feel about Mondays? Most people love them or hate them. Do you think your opinion about Mondays reflects how you feel about your work? How do you think God wants you to view your work?Last Sunday we started a Life Hacks message about God's plan for work. Join us this Sunday as we continue with Part 8b: Who's the Boss. If you have a chance, prepare by reading Ephesians 6:5–9 (page 801 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
What was your first job? What did you like about it? What did you not like about it? How do you feel about work now? For most of us, whether we love our job or not, work is a necessary part of life. Join us as we continue our message series, Life Hacks: When You Just Need a Better Way, with Part 8: Who's the Boss and look at God's plan for work. Whether you are the boss or aren't, it all comes down to attitude! If you have a chance, prepare by reading Ephesians 6:5–9.
How do you feel about this statement: "How I relate to my parents will affect every other relationship in my life"? For the past six weeks, we've been looking at God's plan for different relationships in our lives. This Sunday, we'll focus on the child-parent relationship, especially how it changes as we age. Join us as we continue our message series, Life Hacks: When You Just Need a Better Way, with Part 7: The Great Role Reversal. If you have a chance, prepare by reading Ephesians 6:1-4.
What do vacuum cleaners and the dog house have in common? Actually a lot! Join us for Part 6 our message series, Life Hacks: When You Just Need a Better Way, as we see how vacuum cleaners can speak to the health of relationships, especially a marriage. What at first may seem funny or cute can open our eyes and then hearts to stronger relationships and better ways.
Pastor Dave often uses concepts and ideas from a variety of resources when writing a message. If you have any questions regarding these sources, please don't hesitate to contact Dave at daves@senecacommunitychurch.com.
This weekend, we celebrate mothers and all women who have made a difference in our lives! All ladies are invited to stop by the tables in the Commons on Sunday and choose a plant to take home as our gift to you and everyone is welcome to join us for light refreshments after service.Speaking of mothers and making a difference, most of us are in a position of influence over someone. Whether it's our kids, our grandkids, other kids in our families, kids at our jobs, or children's ministries, many of us interact with children or young adults regularly. I promise you, those kids are watching you! They are learning by watching how you treat them and others around you. What are they seeing when they watch you? Are you making following Jesus attractive?Join us as we continue our message series, Life Hacks: When You Just Need a Better Way, with Part 4: Walk This Way and look at parenting and discipleship. If you have a chance, prepare by reading Mark 10:13–16 (page 690 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
In every society that has moved towards a Christ-centered worldview, women and children fare better. What do you think about this statement? What causes the truth behind it? Why is not always accepted as true today? Ephesians 5:21 says, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Do we always follow that direction? If we did, would that affect what people think about Christians?Join us as we continue our message series, Life Hacks: When You Just Need a Better Way, with Part 3: "What Way? No Way!" and look at how following Christ involves submission. If you have a chance, prepare by reading Ephesians 5:21-24.
No matter where we are in our faith journey, we all face difficult circumstances - times in our lives when it would be easy for fear to cause us to lose sight of what matters most. Join us this Sunday as Josh DePasacreta, the candidate being presented as our Associate Pastor specializing in Youth Ministry, shares a message based on Hebrews 12:1-2, as we look at the question: "When I'm facing fear, how do I have faith?"
Last week, in the first installment of Life Hacks (Part 1: God's Best), we learned that awareness of time must be governed by being filled by the Spirit. (Refresh your memory by reading Ephesians 5:18b-21, page 801 in an SCC chair rack Bible.) Paul lists four expressions as examples of being filled: speaking, singing, thanking, and submitting. Why is that last one the hardest to wrap our heads (and hearts) around?Join us as we continue our new message series, Life Hacks: When You Just Need a Better Way, with Part 2: Submission, and look at how submission fits into the life of a Christ-follower.
The internet is full of life hacks, shortcuts, tips to make your life simpler or easier. Some are great ideas, some are silly, some are a dead end. But why do we seek them out? Why are they so popular? The answer is simple - we don't want to waste our time! Time is a precious commodity and we want to spend it on what is important to us.Join us as we start our new message series, Life Hacks: When You Just Need a Better Way, and look at how following Christ and wanting His best for our lives affects how we use our time. If you have a chance, prepare by reading Ephesians 5:15-21.
Have you ever been in a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, or really big storm? What happened? Would you consider that a good day or a bad day? Join us for our final installment of Jesus Never Said That... - Part 4: "You won't have bad days." We will look at how Jesus never promised us that we would only have good days and how we can be thankful for that promise! If you have a chance, prepare by reading Matthew 7:24–29 (page 662 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
We're all familiar with the phrase, "caught with your hand in the cookie jar!" Has that ever happened to you - with an actual cookie jar or something else? What is your best "getting caught" story? Did you get what you deserved?The idea of getting what you deserve is popular in our society, isn't it? Think about a time when someone could have given you what you deserved, but they gave you grace instead. Then join us for Jesus Never Said That... Part 3, as we look at the Easter story and through Jesus' death and resurrection, see how God doesn't give us what we deserve.
3/29/2024 (Good Friday) - Jesus Never Said That... - Part 2: "Go do what makes you happy." by Dave Spencer
Many times in our lives, we have all felt like calling out, "I need saving and I need it now!" When was the last time you felt that way? Who did you call out to? What happened?In Mark 11:1-11 (page 691 in an SCC chair rack Bible), the people of Jerusalem lined up and shouted "Hosanna!" to Jesus as He entered the city. "Hosanna!" is a Hebrew expression that means "Save!" Do you think the people saw how much they needed a Hosanna life-change? Do we see that need in our lives today? Join us for Palm Sunday and the first part of our new message series, "Jesus Didn't Say That..." as we see that part of that Hosanna life-change we're all looking for is the way we receive forgiveness and offer forgiveness.
Have you seen the movie Groundhog Day? It's funny to watch Billy Murray wake up to the same day (and the same song on the radio) over and over, but it probably wouldn't be much fun to experience that in real life! When does life feel like you are living your own Groundhog Day? Our jobs, our conversations, our responsibilities, our morning routines (there's that pesky alarm clock again), even the food we eat can get repetitive and we can feel like we're held captive by our circumstances.Hope you will join us we see that David’s life (and even Saul’s life) came to feel a little like Groundhog Day.
According to a Forbes Advisor article from January 2024, dogs are the most popular pet in the United States, with about 65.1 million U.S. households owning a dog. We're not trying to start a debate on the best pet, but do you have a dog? What do you love about your dog? What do you not so much love about it? If you don’t have a dog, why? What is your best dog story?Join us Sunday for our next installment of The Seeking King as we continue to follow David's story and see why he'd like to answer the age-old question, "Who let the Doeg out?" (Yes, that is a play on words - check out 1 Samuel 22:1-23, page 200 in an SCC chair rack Bible, to find out more!) We'll find out how a dog (or Doeg) running loose can cause turmoil in other people's lives and see how that connects to all of us keeping our focus on the Master, no matter our circumstances.
This Sunday, we jump back in to the story of King David and find that he is still on the run from Saul, but now he is stuck. In a cave. And people followed him there! This guy cannot seem to catch a break!You may not have run for your life and found yourself in a cave, but at times in our lives, we have all found ourselves stuck. What happens when you find yourself stuck - physically, emotionally, spiritually - with a group of people? How is helpful to be stuck with others? How can it be harmful? How can they overlap?Hope you will join us for our next installment of The Seeking King - Part 10: Your Cave as we continue to learn from the life of King David and discover how following God's Word (Scripture) and His will can help us climb out of whatever "cave" we may find ourselves in!
In light of the war between Israel and Hamas, Pastor Gary Hamrick presents a Biblical perspective of the events. Who/what is Hamas? Why are they so intent on destroying Israel? Who are the Palestinians and why do many of them think of the Jews as “occupiers” and “colonialists”? And do these current events point to any particular Bible prophecy about the End Times? Join us Sunday as Pastor Gary answers these questions and more.If you are interested in more information on the topic, there is a study guide available online.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works…" You may have read Ephesians 2:8-9 and wondered, "Do our works actually matter?" Join us as guest speaker Tyler Miller answers that question.
When was the last time you were caught between a rock and a hard place? How did you respond? How natural was it to rely on God or take things into your own hands? Why do you think you did what you did? Join us for our next installment of The Seeking King - Part 9: Between a Rock and a Hard Place as we see how David responded to being cornered. If you have a chance, prepare by reading or rereading 1 Samuel 21 (page 199 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
What is your favorite burger or sandwich? What would you do for one right now? In 2010, Burger King ran an ad campaign that actually got people to unfriend 10 people on Facebook to get a free Whopper. They called it The Whopper Sacrifice. The online ad campaign was so successful that they had to pull the ad within two weeks. The New York Times reported that in the first week, 233,906 friendships had been terminated and Burger King was on the hook for 23,000 free Whoppers. Facebook also didn't care for those results. Why was it successful? Let's be honest, do you have 10 so-called friends that you would sacrifice for your favorite burger or sandwich? Join us for our next installment of The Seeking King - Part 8b: Friendship as we continue to look at David and Jonathan's strong friendship. If you have a chance, prepare by reading or rereading 1 Samuel 20 (page 198 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
From the Wizard of Oz to Les Miserables or even Jurassic Park, whether you prefer books or movies (or like both), an escape story can be riveting! It keeps us on the edge of our seats, wondering, "Will they make it out of there?"What is one of your favorite (fictional) stories of escape? What happened? What makes it your favorite? What about a true story of escape, either of a well-known person, yourself, or someone you know?Join us as we continue to look at the story of David and find out who he needed to escape from, if he made it, and who stayed with him through it all. If you get a chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 19:1–24 (page 197 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
Who is your favorite bad guy from a movie or TV show? What makes them wicked good at being wicked bad? How would it be to have them as a friend? This weekend, we are going to look at a wickedly-good wicked bad guy - Saul. We can learn much from David and his actions in this part of the story as well as how we can be like Saul ourselves. Be hopeful because even when you are at the mercy of a wickedly-good wicked bad guy, God has His eyes on both of you. We'll also talk about how this God-inspired verse written by Paul comes into play:That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. Romans 8:28 MSG Join us as we continue to look at the story of David and see how being who we are and who God created us to be is a part of religion VS relationship. If you get a chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 18:14-30 (page 196 in an SCC chair rack Bible). Resources include messages by Alastair Begg, Ray Fowler, and Bryce Morgan.
What better way to ring in the New Year than hearing from two young men who spent many of their growing up years here at SCC? We're thrilled to have Paul and Phillip McDonald join us this Sunday to give us an update on everything God is doing in their lives as well as share a message about the Great Commission that God has put on their hearts. You won't want to miss it!
What better way to ring in the New Year than hearing from two young men who spent many of their growing up years here at SCC? We're thrilled to have Paul and Phillip McDonald join us this Sunday to give us an update on everything God is doing in their lives as well as share a message about the Great Commission that God has put on their hearts. You won't want to miss it!
Join us for our Christmas Eve candlelight service as we hear more about the true story of Christmas.
12/24/2023 - Christmas (What You Thought You Knew) - Part 4: Meet the Wise Men by Dave Spencer
We all have favorites. Favorite pizza toppings, favorite Christmas songs and movies, a favorite coffee place(!!!), favorite seats to sit in at church...Parents - do you have a favorite child? We like to say we don't, but deep down we often do. Join us this Sunday as we talk about some of Jesus' favorites and how this applies to the shepherds in the Christmas Story. Spoiler alert - there's more to it than is usually portrayed in children's books.
12/10/2023 - Christmas (What You Thought You Knew) - Part 2: Meet the Angels by Dave Spencer
12/03/2023 - Christmas (What You Thought You Knew) - Part 1: Meet the Parents by Dave Spencer
How difficult is it to be close to a friend who is also a friend to someone you have a fractured relationship with? How do you navigate the relationship and remain close when you're holding something back? This Sunday we will finish up our series, Remember the Titans, as well as look at our fifth core value, "We build authentic community" as we unpack the statement, “We can’t be fully present with others unless we are present with God.”
How does it affect your listening when you know someone cares? When was the last time you listened to some hard stuff from a person that cares for you? How did it affect your response? How well do you find people are listening to you when they know you genuinely care? What are some of your obstacles to Daring to Care?This week in Remember the Titans, we continue to see how their team had to have stated and unstated principles for the way they would play the game. These were more than just rules for the game of football. These principles would reflect who the Titans were and who they were becoming. On a personal level, principles like these reflect how we live life. As a church, we refer to these principles as core values, which are like anchors for how we interact with the world around us. Seneca Community Church has five Core Values. This Sunday we will look at a fourth core value under the heading "Daring to Care."
Join us this Sunday as we continue where we left off last week with Remember the Titans: Keep Your Eye on the Ball. Have you notice since last week it really is true that “Your car goes where your eyes go”? In this message, we will continue to see the implications of that truth in our spiritual lives. Hope to see you this week as we finish up unpacking the idea that what our eyes are on will almost always pull our life and even our church in that direction.
"I completely disagree!" It’s a phrase we think often, even if we don’t say it out loud. Friendships break, families splinter, and churches split over disagreement. While there is a time and place for going separate ways, what if most disagreements are meant to draw us closer together? In Acts 15, we find the early church handling one of their first theological disagreements. Is compromise possible when truth and doctrine are on the line? How did the early apostles, elders, and church leaders handle this disagreement and what can we learn from them? Join us as we explore biblical conflict resolution and learn together the crucial differences between disagreements of doctrine, conscience, and opinion.
“All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on Him being with them.” (Hudson Taylor)Is there a recurring thought, dream, or vision of something that you need to do for God that keeps popping up in your thoughts over the years? Are your lack of qualifications and insecure feelings holding you back from stepping out in faith for God?You won't want to miss it as guest speaker Mike Tison (also presenting at the Game Dinner at SCC this Saturday) shares a message inspiring hope for the men (and women) God chooses. Join us for Reluctant Misfits. If you have a chance, prepare by reading 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.
Welcome to Williams High School in Alexandria, VA!Your homework for Sunday:Assignment #1 - Watch this video clip.Assignment #2 - Answer these discussion questions:The question “Who's your Daddy” at first could be offensive but when Coach Boone asked it in Remember the Titans, what is he getting at?Who are the so-called “Daddies” in our world, our culture, our community? Have you ever seen or had a person, a way of life, a pursuit, or a desire in a sense become someone else’s or your “Daddy”? What happened?Assignment #3 - Read 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (p 779 in an SCC chair rack Bible). Fortunately, our homework policy is very lenient. Even if you don't complete all of it, you are invited to join us for Remember the Titans - Part 2: Who's Your Daddy?
This weekend, we are going to look at God's goodness. None of us want to miss out on it and from a theological perspective we never do, but we sure can miss out on enjoying it. Hopefully, after looking at Jonathan, David, and Saul, we will be able to increase our enjoyment of God's goodness. For some of us, the first step will be seeing it.
Join us Sunday as we continue to look at the story of David and see how being who we are and who God created us to be is a part of religion VS relationship. If you get a chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 18:1-16 (page 196 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
What did you like to pretend to be when you were a kid? A super hero? A policeman (or policewoman)? An animal? Why do kids like to pretend to be someone else? When is it time for kids to realize who they are and stop pretending?
Join us Sunday as we continue to look at the story of David and see how being who we are and who God created us to be is a part of religion VS relationship. If you get a chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 17:32-58 (page 196 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
What do you think of when you hear the word "underdog?" Have you ever been an underdog and on the losing end of things when all of sudden you discovered you had a fighting chance because someone become your champion? It's encouraging to remember that as a Christ follower, you always have a champion, someone who will go to bat for you!
Join us as we look at a story that may be familiar to most of us and see how fear and anxiety can turn into victory when we follow God. If you get a chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 17:1-31 (page 195 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
There is nothing so poisonous as gossip. And it doesn't have to be untrue to be considered gossip. When was the last time you discovered you were the subject of gossip? How did it make you feel? What where you able to do about it? How long did it take for you to get past it? After thinking about these questions, how does it impact your thoughts and feelings regarding participating in gossip?
Hope you can join us for our last installment of "Can't Touch This" - Part 16: Say What? Together, we are going to try to figure out what to say about gossip!
When you go to a Chinese buffet, no matter how stuffed you are, do you eat the fortune cookie, or at least open it? Most of the little proverbs are outrageous and obvious, yet sometimes they are spot on with what someone is facing.
Some Christians wonder, since a fortune implies special prophetic knowledge, whether it is wrong to read fortune cookies. I think we can agree that would be overthinking a fun and silly moment especially when the proverb seems like a prophetic pronouncement. Even then, none of us take it seriously. Yet, when it comes to horoscopes, most of us are not so carefree. It is a matter of conscience. How do you determine for yourself the difference between something like a fortune cookie and a horoscope? That is what we will be unpacking this week in our second to last installment of "Can't Touch This!" - Part 15: Fortune Cookies, Yoga, and Other Things.
To say, "My Body, My Choice" is a "Can't Touch This!" subject is most likely an understatement. So why in the world would we talk about this hot potato? The simple reason is that we need to know what a Christ follower's response should be and how to respond. Also, we might also find out that many Christ followers (none of us of course) apply their response to others while skipping the application to themselves.
Have you ever had a question so hard you wouldn’t even say it out loud? Or a doubt so big you didn’t feel like you could share it—especially at church? We'll tackle one of those tough questions (Why did God let it happen?) together in our message, "Ever Wonder Why?"
"I'll do it by my own!" Have you ever heard a young child say that? Have you ever said or thought that yourself? Where does that come from? That self-sufficiency can be sign of strength and responsibility but can also become a blind spot. For King Saul. his independent spirit reflected an inner problem of fear that has its roots in his spiritual life.
Join us as we wrestle with Saul's challenge and what it means for us today. If you have the chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 15:1-35 (page 193 in an SCC chair rack Bible).
How do your choices impact the check-out process at your favorite grocery store? Have you changed lines, thinking you were getting to a faster one, only to find it was slower? How many times have you changed lines before giving up? How about in traffic (same questions, different scenario)?
In this message, we are going look at how the choices we make, even ones we don't think are that big a deal, end up making us as we look at 1 Samuel 14:24-52 (if you have the chance, prepare by reading the passage ahead of time (page 193 in the chair rack Bible from SCC).
What did it mean when your Mom or Dad said maybe? What did you hear when they said maybe? What does a maybe mean when you say it? What is at stake when a maybe conveys uncertainty?Join us for the next installment of Seeking: Hope for the Future King. as we see that even when there are things we don't know about the future, our faith can help us move forward with confidence. If you have the chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 13:6-14:15 (page 191 in the chair rack Bible from SCC).
Think back to the last time you played (or watched kids play) Follow the Leader. Why do kids love to play follow the leader? How does it make them feel? What does playing follow the leader teach kids?Do teenagers and adults usually like to play follow the leader? Why does it begin to lose its appeal? Why does it become harder to follow a leader as we get older?Join us for the next installment of Seeking: Hope for the Future King, as we investigate the implications of following Christ on our lives. If you have the chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 13:1-15 (page 190 in the chair rack Bible from SCC if you have one).
When was the last time you said “I told you so” to someone? What were the circumstances? When was the last time someone said “I told you so” to you? How did you react or respond to the statement? This Sunday, we will see how Samuel basically told the people "I told you so" and had the credibility to have the people listen. Whatever side of "I told you so" we are on, this installment of Seeking will be an encouragement for all of us to experience endings that are better than beginnings. If you have the chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 12:1-25 (page 190 in the chair rack Bible from SCC if you have one).
Has God ever called you to face a "Stop" or a "Detour" from the plans you thought you had? How did you respond? Join us as Herman Sagastume shares a message about God's call on our lives and being "Prepared to Stop." He will also share a mission update from Healthy Niños Honduras. Get a head start on the message by reading about God's call on Abram's life in Genesis 12:1-5.
What was the last important thing you couldn’t find? I bet that thing wasn't a donkey! How much energy did you exert trying to find it (your donkey)? What happened?Join us for Seeking Part 8: Finding Donkeys - God's Work in the Ordinary. As Samuel seeks a king, we will discover how God works in the big things, but especially in the ordinary. Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with 1 Samuel 9:1-24 NIV (page 188 in the chair rack Bible from SCC if you have one).
Deep down, we all have a craving for security in our lives. Usually, we look around at what everyone else is doing and what they have and try to imitate them. The desire to have what others have or to imitate them can get a Christ-follower into trouble! Sometimes our solutions will actually take security from us. We have to be careful what we ask for! Join us as we see how God's answer is always best and how following the true King is the best way to find security. If you have the chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 8:1-22 NIV (page 188 in the chair rack Bible from SCC if you have one).
Being "just okay" is not okay! Being just okay about something is a sign that you aren't really confident in or with it. Just okay is not okay when it applies to your car's brakes, your taxes, your surgeon, your airplane pilot, and the best-used-by date for something you are about to eat. It also applies in the most important way to the ability to be more than okay with what happened that first Easter, Resurrection Sunday, when nobody expected no body.
How can you tell if someone is really sorry? How do you know when you are really sorry? When have you used “sorry” only as a way to get someone of your back? When does being sorry show itself to be repentance?Join us as we unpack how course change can effect our SEEKING: Hope for the Future King. If you have the chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 7:2-17.
Has losing a healthy respect or fear for something ever gotten you into trouble? Living in the tension of respect/fear and familiarity can be a challenge in so many areas and sometimes with people. It can become even a bigger deal when it comes to our understanding of God and His Holiness. Join us this weekend as we unpack how God's Holiness affects our SEEKING: Hope for the Future King. If you have the chance, prepare by reading 1 Samuel 6:1-7:2.
Everyone longs for a leader they can trust to give them prosperity, stability, and security. We might call them a “knight in shining armor” or, it may sound corny, even a hero. Yet, that’s what we hope for in every election, in our job, in our relationships, in a crisis - you get the idea.It is also what the people way back in the Old Testament longed for in a leader. However, no matter what leader they had, eventually they were disappointed. Even King David, who was the best king they could have hoped for, let everyone down. The silver lining in all of this is that when human leaders overpromise and underdeliver, they point to the perfect leader and king.This week we return to our series Seeking: Hope For The Future King. In each story, mainly based in 1&2 Samuel, we will see a king that never disappoints. Join us this Sunday for Seeking: Hope for the Future King - Part 3: Good Luck!
When was the last time you had to walk the fine line of accepting a person while not affirming a behavior of a person? What happened? Why do you think it is so hard to live in that tension? What is at stake when we get it wrong? Join us this Sunday for the last installment of this segment of Can't Touch This! Part 13: Alternative Lifestyles. We will see what the Bible says about homosexuality and how to respond with Grace and Truth. We have given this message a PG rating meaning parental guidance is recommend before and after the message.
Being alone and/or feeling alone can be so hard to bear. This can be heavy lifting for the single person and sometimes even the married person. Join us this week for Can't Touch This! Part 12: Alone & More Than OK. Paul writes:...God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others. 1 Corinthians 7:7 MSGWouldn't be great to see single life and married life as a gift? We will see if we can unwrap the gift Paul speaks of.
You want to talk about something that can be too hot to touch? How about raising kids? Everybody has an opinion on that and it's easy to be silenced. This Sunday, we will be talking about influencing the kids in your life. This isn't just for parents, it is for all of us.
This Sunday we might find that love can be as hot too touch as submission, but when the two are combined and held well, you will never want to let go of them.
In our message this Sunday, we will be trying to unpack a concept that can be just too hot handle and too prickly to pick up for anyone, but especially Christ-followers. Yet, you can't be in a successful relationship, especially a marriage, without trying to figure what this topic means for a Christ-follower today. That topic is Submission. God inspired Paul to write these words:Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21 NIVNext Paul applies it to married life:Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands. Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Ephesians 5:22–25 MSG Join us this week as we continue with our series, Can't Touch This, and look at what culture may think can’t be touched. This message on submission is half of the story, so you can't listen in unless you promise to be here for the message on love next week. If you only apply one half of the story, you will miss out on God's best for your relationships, especially marriage.
12/24/22 - Ghosts of Christmas Past - Part 4: The Ghost of Past Interruptions by Dave Spencer
In our world today, there are many subjects it seems we can’t touch. Subjects that are taboo and have to be kept in the shadows, whispered about, or not talked about at all. That is just not true! They can be touched, they can be spoken of, in the light of God’s Word. Join us Sunday as we jump back into our series, Can't Touch This, and look at what culture may think can’t be touched. We are going to see not what society or even tradition has to say, but what God has to say. We will touch that, but with God’s touch, and we won’t be the same as we live out the Apostle Paul's God-inspired letter."I have the right to do anything," you say—but not everything is beneficial."I have the right to do anything"—but not everything is constructive. 1 Corinthians 10:23 NIVThis week's installment will focus on expectations for and in marriage as we unpack "Fit To Be Tied." That expression is often negative, but it can be positive.
Did you have a nickname growing up? What was your least favorite? Why did you get it? Did you have a favorite one? So where are we going with this? Sometimes a Ghost of Christmas Past can show up in the way someone expects us to act and we get a nickname or a label. Sometimes those labels are positive, but the ones that most often would stick to our hearts were the negative ones. In our next installment of Ghosts of Christmas Past, we are going to be relieved to discover that our past labels don't have to limit God's future plans for us. The Apostle Paul, inspired by God, wrote:17…Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person, gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT, MSGHope you can join us as we each find how the old labels don't have to stick and a new life can begin. God offers all of us a fresh start!
Did you ever steal anything, cheat, or get in some serious trouble as a kid? What happened? (If the answer is no, you might not be telling the truth.) Because of this mistake, or other circumstances in your life, you may have felt or still feel shame ("I did bad, so I am bad"). Join as we look at the story of the shepherds of Jesus' day, the shame they felt, and how the truth of Christ can set us all free.
12/04/2022 - Ghosts of Christmas Past - Part 1: The Ghost of Past Offenses by Dave Spencer
Join us as Pastor Lynn Kent shares a message about Holiness, our God's most prominent attribute, based on Isaiah 6:1-8.
Who doesn't love the idea of having a morning where you can sleep in? Nothing to do but sleep. It is especially great on a cold, rainy, and snowy morning. But what happens to this concept when "sleeping in" is code for not being engaged? In our next installment of Seeking, we find an environment where everyone is sleeping except one boy. His lack of sleeping in is used by God to change the direction of a nation and actually world history. What if our lack of sleeping in could affect some life change in our lives and the lives of those around us? It might not change the world, but I can guarantee, it can change your world!
It can feel like it is impossible to come back from being crushed in our soul - when there doesn’t seem to be answers for our hurt, when there seems to be nothing that could make us feel better. When we read 1 Samuel 1:10, we can almost feel the helplessness and hopelessness of Hannah.
Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried—inconsolably. 1 Samuel 1:10 MSG
Why? Because most of us have been there and some of us are still there. A few us may not want to talk about it or even think about it - we want to live as if we will never be there. Hannah, whose name is tied to the idea of God’s favor, lived inconsolably crushed for quite some time. Join us this Sunday to find out how she survived and what we can do the next time we find ourselves in a similar place. I really don’t want to say it, but there is a day coming in all of our lives when we will have to deal with being inconsolably crushed in spirit. Let’s let Hannah’s life speak to ours as we continue with our new series: Seeking: Hope for the Future King - Part 1B: Helpless and Hopeless.
Why is it that some of the tastiest foods are highest in calories? Why couldn’t a loaded cheeseburger be as healthy as broccoli? It’s just not fair! How do you balance healthy food with the tasty food? And don’t say healthy food is tasty food - especially anything with kale in it! For most of us, the unhealthy and healthy (kale-yuck) conversation has a lot of fun and innocent teasing in it. But make it about alcohol or any kind of drug use and the conversation can go from fun to uncomfortable. At first take it seems like this is one of those subjects Christians can't touch!
Join us as we have a conversation with our Difference Maker Partners (Missionaries) John & Amanda Herrick. John will also share a message with us: A Heavenly Perspective for an Earthly Journey. This is certain to be a special Sunday!
There are parts of our world that are just so complicated with so many options. As we have seen, some have no wiggle room, but with others we just don't honestly know. When was the last time you genuinely asked, not because you were trying to get away with something, but you really wanted to know, how you can please God with your options? In Part 4 of our series, Can't Touch This, we are going to look at The Matrix. No, not the movie, but a process that will help in those optional areas that can at first glance seem complicated.
In our world today, there are many subjects it seems we can’t touch. Subjects that are taboo and have to be kept in the shadows, whispered about, or not talked about at all. That is just not true! They can be touched, they can be spoken of, in the light of God’s Word. Join us as we look at what culture may think can’t be touched. We are going to see not what society or even tradition has to say, but what God has to say. We will touch that, but with God’s touch, and we won’t be the same as we live out the Apostle Paul's God-inspired letter.
Last weekend was a starting point for dealing with subjects it seems we can’t touch. We began by discussing the difference between a Commandment, a Conviction, a Matter of Conscience, a Conjecture, and a Choice and how to use the options we have. In this installment of Can't Touch This, we will see how "option overload" can set us up for confusion and how it can set us up for impact. Remember, taboos don't have to be kept in the shadows, whispered about, or not talked about at all. They can be touched, they can be spoken of, in the light of God’s Word.
For the first few weeks of our new message series, we will unpack a Jesus-centered approach for subjects that can seem too hot to touch.
Have you ever felt like you were “just keeping your head above water?” What kept you going? Or maybe you just couldn’t do it anymore - what happened when you couldn’t keep your head above water? Where was God in either situation? It is ok to feel like He was absent. How do you move forward after those kinds of events in life? Do you feel like it has left you walking with a limp? By the way, we all walk with limps.
This may seem like a personal question, but how good are you at waking up? How would your family answer that question about you? Has anyone ever gone to extreme measures to wake you up? How did that go?
Another question: do you normally wake up excited for the day or dreading the day? We all respond differently to waking up. Often what we have to face has something to do with it. This week we are going to apply the idea of waking up to our spiritual lives. This is not an original idea. Jesus had something to say about waking up spiritually to a church at Sardis. Some would say the application to the church of today is just as poignant.
We will try to unpack the idea of being fully awake as a church and as individuals as we resume our series: Seven: Hear What Christ is Saying to You. We will have some fun with it before it gets serious, but my hope is that by the time we are through, we will all look at waking up spiritually as a dream rather than a nightmare.
The temperatures are getting cooler (which is great), the days are getting shorter, and plans are being made for the first day of school, but let's not wish the end of summer away! Not only is there more fun to be had and more memories to be made, but summer is a wonderful time to pause and think about where you are in life. Where would you say you are spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and even physically? How do you feel about your answers? Often the answers to questions like that are overwhelming, but the good news is “faith imparts power” to make us strong and courageous to change. Just look at Gideon!
...I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and... who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice... in their weakness their faith imparted power to make them strong! Faith sparked courage within them and they became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Hebrews 11:32–34 NIV, TPT
She had every reason to be insecure. Her past was shameful. But in a moment of crisis, she revealed herself to be the bravest person in her city. Her actions resulted in a history altering victory for God’s people. She was just a sinful foreigner, but she would go on to be part of the lineage of Jesus and be included in the Hall of Faith. Her story proves that anyone can become a hero!
Join us as Justin Bleuer from Berean Bible Church continues our shared series with a message about this unlikely Faith Hero and what her story means for us today.
Most of us feel inadequate: "God can’t use me. I’m not good enough. I have too much baggage. I’m a failure." But what if God delights in using imperfect people to accomplish his perfect plan? In this shared message series with Berean Bible Church, we will walk the Hall of Faith and watch God turn unlikely people (just like us) into Faith Heroes.
When have you felt strong pressure to compromise? The church at Thyatira was under extreme pressure to compromise when a teacher came up with a work-around. Some gave it try and it seem to be working, but then Jesus inconveniently sent a letter which short-circuited the work-around. Jesus' inconvenience continues today when He calls us out on our inadequate answers for compromise especially now when that pressure seems to grow each and every day. How can we hold onto intolerance when Jesus calls us to accept people where they are at without approving what they do? Join us for this very relevant letter to the church, our church, for the year 2022
None of us like the idea of being judged, especially by someone who we don't think knows us. On the hand, all of us, I hope, would welcome some grace and truth-filled advice, especially if it would keep us from making a huge mistake. That is exactly what Jesus in doing for these seven churches - just a local group of Christ followers trying to live out their faith in community - and in each letter there are significant takeaways for us as Christ followers even thought the letters were written close to 2,000 years ago.
Have you ever watched the TV series, Undercover Boss? If you haven't, it is all about a boss (CEO) pretending to be a regular employee to see what really is going on, which can be really entertaining. There is usually an off-the-rails employee in some supervisory role that gets in trouble and another employee who is exemplary who is rewarded. What do you think would happen if Jesus played undercover boss in our church? How about our personal lives? That might not be so entertaining. Or maybe it would be more satisfying if there was a commendation rather than condemnation.
Join us for the first part of our series on the letters to the seven churches as we discuss the purpose of the Book of Revelation and what we can take away from prophecy.
In the first installment of our new series, we will look at how "buts" (excuses) in our lives stop us from serving. In the book of Acts, Barnabas was a great example of serving, by giving of his money and his time. In today's society, where none of us feel time-rich, how can we look past our excuses (get off our "buts") and make a difference?
6/05/2022 - I Want to Say Yes, But... - Part 3: I'm Focused on What My Life Needs by Dave Spencer
5/29/2022 - I Want to Say Yes, But... - Part 2: I Don't Know What to Do by Dave Spencer
In the first installment of our new series, we will look at how "buts" (excuses) in our lives stop us from serving. In the book of Acts, Barnabas was a great example of serving, by giving of his money and his time. In today's society, where none of us feel time-rich, how can we look past our excuses (get off our "buts") and make a difference?
Have you ever had someone say to you, “I would believe in God, but there is too much suffering?” Have you ever struggled with that question yourself? What do you think the answer is?
Join us this Sunday as we will wrestle with the possible answers. Hopefully, we will leave with a little more understanding so we are more equipped to respond to the suffering in our world and the suffering in our lives.
This week we will continue our series, "I Want to Believe, But..." with our third installment, "Not Feeling It!" We'll wrestle with what it means to feel God's presence and what we do when everyone around us seems to be sensing it except us.
We are so used to life on demand. When was the last time you binged-watched a TV series? No commercials, it was there exactly when you wanted, no cliff hangers. Sometimes we expect God to be like that...
Looking at it another way, some of us may remember I Dream of Jeanie or Aladdin (if you are younger). Either memory makes us think of wishes on demand. Do we ever expect God to be that way?
When God doesn't answer one of our prayers, we may wonder why God isn't a Genie. We can be completely disillusioned when we wonder why God allows suffering, or are confused about feeling His presence. God may not meet all our expectations, but that could be good news! Find out why in our new series: I Want to Believe, But....
Sometimes what seems like the end is actually the beginning. The first Easter found the disciples of Jesus discouraged, defeated, and convinced it was over. It seemed like an empty dream. If you’ve ever found yourself in that place, you need the message of Easter. When it feels like things are over, and even dead, they might be just beginning. Join us as we ask “What If?” and discover the power behind that simple question.
Sometimes what seems like the end is actually the beginning. The first Easter found the disciples of Jesus discouraged, defeated, and convinced it was over. It seemed like an empty dream. If you’ve ever found yourself in that place, you need the message of Easter. When it feels like things are over, and even dead, they might be just beginning. Join us as we ask “What If?” and discover the power behind that simple question.
Join us for our last installment of Esther and the Unseen Sovereign: Uno-Reverse. The Reverse card can be the best thing or worst thing that can happen to you in a game of Uno. Find out how that can also be true in life!
"What a difference a day makes!" is usually said in connection to a surprise. That surprise can be good or not so good. In this message, we are going to see that phrase in action. It is unbelievably good for Esther and her people and unbelievably bad for Haman (Hey, I heard you hiss!). The real question we all want answered is, "How can it be good for us, instead of bad for us?"
Well, you will need to join us to find out! How is that for a teaser? If you want to be a little more prepared for this week's message, read Esther 6:14-7:10.
What's the first thing you do when you are having trouble sleeping? I try not to get irritated. If I do, I will be up for a while. Just this past week, (sorry Cindy) one night after I had fallen asleep, Cindy dropped her phone or something (we haven't even talked about it - Cindy, when you see this, text me what it was and I do forgive you). The bang woke me right up. Immediately, I repeated silently "Don't get irritated" about 3-5 times and fortunately I drifted off to sleep. Most sleepless nights, the first thing that comes to mind is not that maybe God's providence is in play. Maybe He wants me awake for me to do something like pray.
You may be wondering, what does this have to do with this week's installment of Esther: The Unseen Sovereign? The title of the message is Sleepless in Susa and in this case, it wasn't a bump in the night that was keeping the King awake, it was God.
Join us as we see how something as ordinary as a sleepless night can be a part of God's plan to do something in our live and/or those around us. Even the most ordinary events are actually connected to God’s purpose.
When was the last time you experienced a “Best Day Ever” moment? In this week's installment of Esther: The Unseen Sovereign, everyone is thinking they are experiencing a "Best Day Ever", but that really is the case for only one of them. Actually, one of them is getting ready to have the "Worst Day Ever" his last day, but he is clueless.
Join us as we learn how to have more "Best Day Evers" and how to avoid having "Worst Day Evers." In all of this we need to remember the words of C.S. Lewis: "Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous."
As we mentioned at the beginning of our series about Esther, everyone loves a good story - so much so that Americans fork over tens of millions of dollars at the movies each weekend. Often, the most captivating movies include a famous line that gets quoted again and again. Here are some examples:
"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a ..." Gone with the Wind (1939) "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." The Godfather (1972) "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.” The Wizard of Oz (1939) "Here's looking at you, kid.” Casablanca (1942) "Go ahead, make my day.” Sudden Impact (1983) “May the Force be with you.” Star Wars (1977) “E.T. phone home” (1982) “You can’t handle the truth!” A Few Good Men (1992) “My precious” The Lord of the Rings: The Two towers (2002) “I feel the need-the need for speed!” Top Gun (1986) “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary!” Dead Poets Society (1989)
What would you add to the list?
Here are a few more:
“Maybe you have been chosen to be the queen for such a time as this.” and "And if I perish, I perish.” from the story of Esther (338+-BC) (There are few movies that include both this lines.)
Join us for this message as we unpack why those two lines are still relevant to the world we live in almost 2,500 years later.
We have been riveted to the news this week as one country that seems to be lead by one man, a Haman-like character, has moved to cancel another nation and its leadership. We can't, or don't want to, imagine being in that place and are praying hard against the unnecessary bloodshed. As we continue to focus on chapter 3 of Esther this week, we can not help but feel that the frustration with what we see unfolding in Ukraine is similar to what we experience when reading about Esther's world. Last Sunday, we just touched the tip of the iceberg of what is referred to as Cancel Culture. Hope you will join us in person or online as we try to make sense of two real stories separated by 2,500 years. The nagging question we really don't want to put out there is, "Where is the Unseen Sovereign?" The more we can see Him between the lines in Esther, the easier it might be to see Him in 2022 on the large world stage and in our own smaller personal worlds.
In today's world, the phrase "Cancel Culture" produces a visceral response for many of us. This week, with Esther chapter 3 as our background, we are going to talk about "Cancel Culture." We are even going to look back into the not too distant past to see how Christians may have had a part in creating it. Sunday looks to be a challenging, uncomfortable, but also an encouraging time in the story of Esther. Our stories are much closer than we often realize. So please join us in person or online as we continue our series, Esther: The Unseen Sovereign, with our fourth installment - Canceled. We just might find we have had a little bit of an attitude we have seen a lot in others - the attitude of "Cancellation for thee, but not for me."
Join us as we continue our series, Esther: The Unseen Sovereign, with the third installment - Secret Service. We will continue to develop last week's bottom line, "Crooked sticks in the hand of God make straight lines," talking about how we each need to overcome our heart's true nature and live out our faith by doing the right thing whether we have an audience of many or an audience of one.
Resources for this message include a series from North Coast Community Church and University Reformed Church.
Forgiveness is a beautiful thing. We write stories and sing songs about it. We want it desperately but we're reluctant to give it. Here's the Good News - Jesus offers forgiveness freely. Join us as Pastor Rick Cramer shares about the forgiveness Jesus offers and how we should exemplify that in our lives.
Everyone loves a good story. That is why Americans fork over tens of millions of dollars each weekend at the movies. Most of us would say that good stories need to include some combination of impending tragedy, beautiful people, hopes of romance, a villain, and a happy ending. Typically, the absent element is the unseen providential God. Yet that is exactly the way the Bible tells the story of Esther. God’s name is never mentioned. There is not a single prayer. Esther is the story of The Unseen Sovereign, which can also feel a lot like today.
Join us as Pastor Len Robinson reminds us to "Keep in Touch with the Tower," with three foundational Biblical principles for all Christ followers from Ephesians 5:15-21.
Discovering who you really are and your place is always important and even more so in these days we find ourselves in. Community does that! Christian Community specifically does that. Christian Community is the mutual bond that Christ followers have with Jesus and others, which flows out of sharing common attitudes, interests, and direction. Discovering and remembering who you are and your place gives a strength to life and a direction we could all use a little more of today. And our world needs more people who are following Christ and really know who they are and their place.
Hope you will be able join us as we talk about the impact of Community, finding out how staying focused in a noisy world changes everything-inside out!
Join us for a heaping helping of encouragement from Pastor Rick Cramer. Wherever your life is right now, as we look forward to a new year, one of the best things we can invest in for ourselves is a straightening of our crowns!
Hope is Here in the person of Jesus! Does the reality of that statement create an awe that takes your breath away? For many of us, the unconvinced or the convinced, not much creates a state of awe in us.
Actually, we live in a culture that has basically stripped all of our awe away. The awful gets our attention, but not the awesome. Just think of the news that has caught or even captivated your attention. Solomon wrote:
The starting point for acquiring wisdom is to be consumed with awe as you worship Yahweh (one of the many Hebrew words for God). To receive the revelation of the Holy One, you must come to the one who has living-understanding. Proverbs 9:10 TPT
Mary, the mother of Jesus, had a moment to decide whether the news of Gabriel was awful or awesome. She decided awesome and responded:
“I belong to the Lord, body and soul,” replied Mary, “let it happen as you say.” And at this the angel left her. Luke 1:38 Phillips
What would it take for our awes to be more on the side of awesome rather than awful? We will try to unpack that idea in this message, as we learn what it means to live out of the reality that Hope Is Here, especially for the fearful!
Hope really is here in the person of Jesus! We don’t have to wait for it! But (you knew there was one) often when the expression of hope (Jesus) is not what we expected, after time we are left discouraged, heartbroken, and yes, even skeptical. This is the place we find Elizabeth (Jesus' mother Mary's cousin) and Zechariah as they process their lives with a delayed realization of hope. Luke described the couple this way:
Zechariah and Elizabeth were both good people who pleased God. They did everything the Lord commanded, always following his instructions completely. Luke 1:6 ERV
At first glance it doesn't add up that "good people who pleased God" waited almost a lifetime for a response from God. God is quiet, yet Elizabeth and Zechariah don't quit on Him. It is remarkable that God's lack of a response doesn't seem to affect their response to Him.
Join us as we unpack how we can experience a Hope that is Here that touches our everyday life, even when being discouraged could become the flavor of our life.
Christmas is a time of anticipation. Children anticipate that toy they have longed for. We anticipate a specific gift, sometimes just hoping it’s money and not a sweater. Then there are many of us who anticipate special moments around the table with family and friends. Anticipation is a part of what makes Christmas wonderful. The older word Advent focuses our anticipation on what Christmas originally was all about. Advent means “a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the coming of the Messiah.” That was the hope many were looking for before that first Christmas. Today, that hope is here and we can actually experience it. We don’t have to wait for it! Join us this Christmas season as we discover how we don’t have to wait for hope any longer, we can have a hope that touches our everyday life. Hope really is Here! We can live in that hope because it is here!
No one likes to have regrets. Often they are just too painful or are a reminder that we fell short in an area of life. What if the pain of regrets could actually be a catalyst for something good in our lives? What if we could leverage our regrets to bring change in our life that produces something beautiful in our life? The apostle Paul expresses it this way:
Distress that drives us to God... It turns us around… We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets… 2 Corinthians 7:10 MSG
Join us as we talk about seeing our distress in relationships as something that can move us towards God rather than away from Him. We will hopefully find ourselves in a better place, a place where we can say genuinely, "I have No Regrets!"
As we continue on with our series Leftovers, we will be looking at "Why we need to direct desire that was designed for intimacy" with Part 3.
For some, this message will be very timely, while for others it will be good for helping them to stay the course they already are on. It doesn't take much for any of us, at any stage or age, to find life mired in the hurt and mess of intimacy gone wrong.
This is a PG-13 message - all that means is that Parental Guidance is strongly recommended, making this message a gift for parents to have age-appropriate conversations with their kids. Please don't miss that opportunity!
Last weekend, we began our series Leftovers with the statement, "Either you love leftovers or you don't!" For some, this week's message may feel fresh and not like a leftover, while others will have "tasted" it before. Whatever your age or stage of life, as we look at two core Symbols of the Christian faith, Baptism and Communion, we hope you find the "meal" tasty and energizing as we look to follow Christ.
In this message, we are going to enjoy a Leftover called Blended. This leftover will have us diving into how blending two lives, and sometimes two families, can work so that we would call it a SUCCESS.
Keep calm and pretend that today is Monday. Do you know that most people dread Mondays? Research shows that on Mondays, 50% of employees are late to work, productivity is at its lowest, and the average person doesn’t smile until almost noon! Why is it that so many dread Mondays so much? Imagine if we could turn the most dreaded day of the week into a day full of purpose and impact. We were made for so much more than just 'surviving' our work week. We were made to thrive in it! What if we could all move to the place we discovered that we were Made for Mondays?
In this message, we’ll look at another challenging subject for parents and others trying to influence the next generation - Correcting Kids. Before you stop reading, especially if you believe influencing kids is outside your wheelhouse, realize that all of us, at every age and stage of life, need to first look at our own relationship with our Heavenly Father before thinking about correcting kids. As a Christ follower, it all starts there! Even if you don't consider yourself a Christ follower, there is a basic question that needs to be answered, “What do you do with correction in your own life?” We need to think about how we process that answer before we correct anyone else's life.
Join us as we look at what it means to Correct Kids and what the implications are for us, no matter what our stage or age is. We will begin with a letter written to the Hebrews. The Hebrews lived in a difficult world similar to ours. This is what the writer says:
…have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God. Hebrews 12:5–11 MSG
Resources for this series include messages from Life Church, North Point Community Church, Saddleback Church, and Mecklenburg Church.
No one likes feeling set up by someone. When it does happen, we often feel embarrassed that we fell for it. What about when we set ourselves up? Sometimes we are walking ourselves into a setup and don't even realize it. This can be disastrous when it happens spiritually, especially when we don't understand the difference between a promise and a principle in the Bible. For example:
A gentle answer turns away wrath... Proverbs 15:1 NIV
When you expect this Proverb to be a promise, you can be hurt, discouraged, and even disillusioned with God when you give a gentle answer and it doesn't turn away wrath. If you take it as a principle, you'll normally expect a gentle answer to turn away wrath and you have a direction for difficult conversations, something to try in a heated moment.
In this message, we will take a look at another spiritual principle that when taken as a promise can be spiritually dangerous.
It may seem like a bold statement, especially to someone who is thinking about what being a Christ-follower means for themselves, but the starting point for healthy relationships really does begin with your understanding and connection with God. There comes a day for all of us when we see that our world can be a dry place and what looks like a lush oasis is actually a mirage. Our response in those times makes all the difference. David from the Older Testament comes to a place where he realizes that thirst can only be satisfied in God. He writes:
God, you are my God. I am searching so hard to find you. Body and soul, I thirst for you in this dry and weary land without water. Psalm 63:1 ERV
When did you get your first cell phone? What kind was it? What did it do for you? For many of us, our cell phones have come a long way since that first one. Somewhere along the way, those phones we went from just making calls to doing almost everything BUT making calls. Subtly, they have taken over to the point where many of us get a little nervous if we leave the house without it. That brings us to the question, "Do we use our phones (technology) or do they use us?" "Have our devices become our vices?"
We could make the point, by experience, that if we are not intentional with technology, it will steal from us our margin physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. Margin will be subtlety eroded until your back is against the wall with no space between your load and your limit)!
Join us as we wrap up our series Margin: Making Room For Life with a hard conversation on technology. Don't worry we won't be asking you to go back to a flip phone, but we will all hopefully come away with some practical steps that keep technology from robbing our Margin!
In this message and the next, we wrap up our series "Margin: Making Room for Life." Our working definition is: Margin is the space between my load and my limits. Some of us will be really into talking about Part 5: Community, while others will be a little hesitant from a bad experience or feel it just isn't how they are wired. The reality is that a majority of Americans experience something called “crowded loneliness” when margin is absent.
It's not always easy to spot the Jesus followers in our culture today. When we compare the values of our culture with the values of Jesus, it becomes clear why that's a problem. Followers of Jesus should stand out - and not always for the reasons why we sometimes DO stand out.
Most of us hate it when others do this respectable sin. But if we’re honest, sometimes doing it ourselves makes us feel good. We feel important, connected, and well-informed. It’s a small but damaging sin, and unless we understand it, we may not escape the fallout it creates. Join us as we learn about the power of this small but deadly sin, and how God has given us the power to rise above it to have healthier relationships.
Complaining - something we all do. Life stinks sometimes, therefore we complain sometimes. It’s just part of life, right? But what if complaining is a bigger deal than we make it out to be? In this message, Rick Cramer from Berean Bible Church will put complaining under the microscope and reveal what it exposes in our hearts as well as the secret for turning it around.
Sometimes we need to lighten the loads in our lives. With too much load, we can easily “run out of gas” emotionally, spiritually, relationally, financially, mentally, or physically.
For example, relationships can drain us and stress can create too much load; we need time for regular emotional and spiritual renewal. We often don’t allow enough time to refuel.
Are you tired of being tired all the time? In part 4 of Margin we will discuss how to keep the gas tanks of our lives filled as we make room for life.
Sometimes it seems like the only way to keep up with all the demands on our lives is to run at maximum capacity and then some. Yet, our "take it to the limit" world leaves us full and empty all at the same time. Here's the good news: God never intended for life to be that way! There is another way, one where we have room to breath and space to respond to what life brings us. Starting this Sunday, July 11, during our 6- part summer series, you'll get the chance to explore what it means to live with MARGIN and make room for life- the real important stuff!
Sometimes it seems like the only way to keep up with all the demands on our lives is to run at maximum capacity and then some. Yet, our "take it to the limit" world leaves us full and empty all at the same time. Here's the good news: God never intended for life to be that way! There is another way, one where we have room to breathe and space to respond to what life brings us. Starting this Sunday, July 11, during our 6-part summer series, you’ll get the chance to explore what it means to live with MARGIN and make room for life - the real important stuff!
Resources for this series include messages from Saddleback Church, and Oaks Chase Community Church.
Join us as our Seneca Community Church Axis Youth Group director Will Krembs shares a message based on 2 Kings 5, about details and the big picture, and what actually matters to God.
Do your finances bring you fear or freedom? Whether you’re digging out of debt or planning for your future, now is the time to build a foundation that endures. Join us as we learn together that anticipating a brighter tomorrow starts by Making Change today.
Resources for this series include messages from Life Church, North Point Community Church, Saddleback Church, and Mecklenburg Church.
Do your finances bring you fear or freedom? Whether you’re digging out of debt or planning for your future, now is the time to build a foundation that endures. Join us as we learn together that anticipating a brighter tomorrow starts by Making Change today.
Resources for this series include messages from Life Church, North Point Community Church, Saddleback Church, and Mecklenburg Church.
Do your finances bring you fear or freedom? Whether you’re digging out of debt or planning for your future, now is the time to build a foundation that endures. Join us as we learn together that anticipating a brighter tomorrow starts by Making Change today.
Resources for this series include messages from Life Church, North Point Community Church, Saddleback Church, and Mecklenburg Church.
Do your finances bring you fear or freedom? Whether you’re digging out of debt or planning for your future, now is the time to build a foundation that endures. Join us as we learn together that anticipating a brighter tomorrow starts by Making Change today.
Resources for this series include messages from Life Church, North Point Community Church, Saddleback Church, and Mecklenburg Church.
Do your finances bring you fear or freedom? Whether you're digging out of debt or planning for your future, now is the time to build a foundation that endures. Join us as we learn together that anticipating a brighter tomorrow starts by Making Change today.
Resources for this series includes messages from Life Church, North Point Community Church, Saddleback Church, and Mecklenburg Church.
Join us as we learn to recognize the grudges we are carrying and come to understand that the pain we hold onto can weigh us down and keep us from stepping into the freedom that God has for us. Discover or be reminded of how to let go of the past and embrace true forgiveness as you walk into your future.
Resources for this series include messages from Life Church, North Point Community Church, Saddleback Church, and Mecklenburg Church.
Join us as we learn to recognize the grudges we are carrying and come to understand that the pain we hold onto can weigh us down and keep us from stepping into the freedom that God has for us. Discover or be reminded of how to let go of the past and embrace true forgiveness as you walk into your future.
Resources for this series include messages from Life Church, North Point Community Church, Saddleback Church, and Mecklenburg Church.
Join us as we learn to recognize the grudges we are carrying and come to understand that the pain we hold onto can weigh us down and keep us from stepping into the freedom that God has for us. Discover or be reminded of how to let go of the past and embrace true forgiveness as you walk into your future.
Resources for this series include messages from Life Church, North Point Community Church, Saddleback Church, and Mecklenburg Church.
Join us as we learn to recognize the grudges we are carrying and come to understand that the pain we hold onto can weigh us down and keep us from stepping into the freedom that God has for us. Discover or be reminded of how to let go of the past and embrace true forgiveness as you walk into your future.
Resources for this series include messages from Life Church, North Point Community Church, Saddleback Church, and Mecklenburg Church.
Dave Spencer presents the eighth, and final, message from his series ‘All In’. The subject is on Hope.
Resources for this series include messages from Christ’s Church of the Valley, North Point, Mecklenburg Church, and Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the seventh message from his series ‘All In’. The subject is on Storms.
Resources for this series include messages from Christ’s Church of the Valley, North Point, Mecklenburg Church, and Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the fourth message from his series ‘All In’. This message is based on Mark 11:1-11.
Dave Spencer presents his third message from his series, "All In". The subject is on rushing to judgment.
Dave Spencer presents the second message from his series "All In". The subject is on saying yes.
Dave Spencer presents his first message from his series "All In" on the subject of change.
This is the fourth message in Dave Spencer's series, based on the book of Jonah entitled, "Running".
Resources for this series include messages from Christ Church of the Valley, Saddleback Community Church and Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the third message from his series based on Jonah. The message is entitled: ‘Running With God’.
Dave Spencer presents the second message from his series based on Jonah. The message is entitled: ‘Running To God’, based on chapter 2 of the book of Jonah.
Dave Spencer presents the first message from his series based on Jonah. The message is entitled: ‘Running From God’.
Dave Spencer concludes his three-part series with the third part of his message entitled: ‘Simply Christian’.
Guest Speaker and former pastor of Seneca Community Church, Len Robinson, presents his message entitled, "Unchanged Orders".
Dave Spencer presents the fourth message in his series ‘Simply Christmas’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the third message in his series ‘Simply Christmas’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, Life Church, & Saddleback Community Church.
Dave Spencer presents the first message in his series ‘Simply Christmas’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, Life Church, & Saddleback Community Church.
Dave Spencer present his Thanksgiving message entitled: "Grateful".
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, Life Church, & Saddleback Community Church.
Dave Spencer presents the fourth message in his series ‘Under God’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the third message in his series ‘Under God’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the second message in his series ‘Under God’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the first message in his series ‘Under God’ entitled: First Thing First
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the sixth, and final, message in his series ‘Reset’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Guest Speaker, Rick Cramer, presents the fifth message in the series ‘Reset’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the fourth message in his series ‘Reset’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the third message in his series ‘Reset’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the second message in his series ‘Reset’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents the first message in his series ‘Reset’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & Christ’s Church of the Valley, & Life Church.
Dave Spencer presents his sixth, and final, message in his series ‘Relationslips’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & North Coast Community Church.
Dave Spencer presents the fourth message in his series ‘Relationslips’.
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & North Coast Community Church.
Dave Spencer presents the third message in his series "Relationslips".
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & North Coast Community Church.
Dave Spencer presents the second half of his second message in his series "Relationslips".
Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & North Coast Community Church.
Dave Spencer presents the first half of his second message in his series: Relationslips. Note: Resources for this series include messages from North Point, Mecklenburg Church, & North Coast Community Church.
Dave Spencer presents the first message in his 7-part series entitled: 'Relationships'.
Dave Spencer concludes his series "Joseph Living the Dream" with a message on the subject of Revenge (part 5).
Dave Spencer continues his series 'Joseph Living the Dream' with a message on the subject of Success (part 4).
Dave Spencer continues his series 'Joseph Living the Dream" with a message on the subject of Discouragement (part3).
Dave Spencer continues his series "Joseph Living the Dream" with a message on the subject of Temptation. Please not this is a PG-13 message.
Dave Spencer concludes his series based on the Sermon on The Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the final message on the subject of: Storm Warning (part 20).
Dave Spencer continues his series based on The Sermon On The Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the nineteenth message on the subject of: NEWS (part 19).
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on The Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the eighteenth message on the subject of: The Road Less Traveled.
Dave Spencer presents another look at a former message from his previous message series entitled: Road-Trip.
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon On The Mount, entitled "Jesus On..." with the seventeenth message on the subject of: PLEASE!!! (part 17).
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on The Mount, entitled 'Jesus On..." with the sixteenth message on the subject of Discernment(part 16).
Dave Spencer continues his series based on The Sermon on The Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the fifteenth message on the subject of: Worry (part 15)
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on The Mount, entitled, 'Jesus On...' with the fourteenth message on the subject of: Worry (part 14)
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on The Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the thirteenth message on the subject of: All Heart (part 13).
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on The Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the twelfth message on the subject of Rhythm (Spiritual Disciplines - part 12)
Pastor Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on the Mount, "Jesus On..." with the fourth part of his message entitled, "Prayer".
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon On The Mount, entitled "Jesus On...' with the third part of the eleventh message on the subject of: Persistent Prayer (part 11c).
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on The Mount, entitled 'Jesus On..." with the second part of the eleventh message on the subject of: Prayer (part 11b).
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on The Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the first part of the eleventh message on the subject of Prayer (11a).
Dave Spence continues his series based on the Sermon on the Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the tenth message on the subject of: Genuine Imitation (part 10).
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on the Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the ninth message on the subject of: Opposition.
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on The Mount, entitled: "Jesus On..." with the eighth message on the subject of: Back At You."
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on The Mount, entitled 'Jesus On.." with the seventh message on the subject of: Your Word.
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on the Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the sixth message, "Divorce".
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on the Mount, entitled 'Jesus On...' with the fifth message: Directing Desire.
Pastor Dave concludes his Christmas series with a message about Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, with the central idea that "Misfits can fit".
Dave Spencer continues his 'Christmas At the Movies' series with the fourth message entitled: When It Isn't Wonderful.
Dave Spencer continues his 'Christmas at the Movies' series with the third message entitled: Home Alone
Dave Spencer continues his 'Christmas at the Movies' series with the second message entitled: I Don't Belong Here (Elf).
Dave Spencer begins his 'Christmas at the Movies' series with a message entitled: Charlie Brown Christmas.
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on the Mount, entitled "Jesus On..." with the fourth message: Relationships
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on the Mount, "Jesus On...", with the third message entitled: The Law.
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on the Mount, entitled 'Jesus On..." with the second message on Influence.
Dave Spencer continues his series based on the Sermon on the Mount, with his second message in the 'Jesus On' series, entitled: Happiness (part 1b)
Guest Speaker, Rick Cramer, presents a message entitled: 'Circles: Embracing Relationships In An Age Of Isolation' based on material from Dr. David Anderson
Dave Spencer begins his series based on the Sermon on the Mount, 'Jesus On...' with the first half of a message entitled: Happiness.
Dave Spencer concludes his series entitled 'Get In The Game - Find Your Place' with the fifth message: Effective.
Dave Spencer continues his series entitled 'Get In The Game-Find Your Place' with the fourth message - Embracing Accountability.
Dave Spencer continues his series entitled 'Get In The Game- Find Your Place', with the third message "All In".
Dave Spencer continues his series 'Get In The Game-Find Your Place" with the second message entitled: Mastering Conflict.
This is part 3 of Dave Spencer's series, "Awkward Revisited" with a message entitled, "Be Ready"
This is a video message by Levi Lusko from Fresh Life Church. It is the third in a 4-part series entitled: Through The Eyes of A Lion. Part 1 was presented on May 12, 2019. Part 4 is available at Life.Church.com.
This is a video message by Levi Lusko from Fresh Life Church. It is the second in a 4 part series entitled: Through The Eyes of A Lion. Part 1 was presented on May 12, 2019.
This is a message from guest speaker, Pastor Rich Clark, from Bridgewater Church in Tunkhannock, PA.
This is the ninth, and final, message in Dave Spencer's series entitled: 'So You're Alive...Now What?'
This is part 8b of Dave Spencer's series entitled: 'So You're Alive...Now What?' based on the book of Ecclesiastes.
This is part 8a of Dave Spencer's spring series entitled 'So You're Alive...Now What?' based on the book of Ecclesiastes.
This is part 7 of Dave Spencer's Spring series entitled 'So You're Alive...Now What?' based on the book of Ecclesiastes.
This is part 6 of Dave Spencer's Spring series entitled 'So You're Alive...Now What?' based on the book of Ecclesiastes.
This is part 5 of Dave Spencer's Spring series entitled 'So You're Alive...Now What?' based on the book of Ecclesiastes.
This is part 3 of Dave Spencer's Spring series entitled: "So You're Alive...Now What?" based on the book of Ecclesiastes.
This message is the first in a four-part series entitled: "Through The Eyes Of A Lion" by Levi Lusko from Life Church.
This is the second message in Dave Spencer's series entitled: So You're Alive... Now What?
This is the first part of pastor Dave Spencer's series entitled "So You're Alive...Now What?" based on the book of Ecclesiastes.
This is the first of three messages from Dave Spencer for this Easter season. He Is The Good Shepherd
Pastor Dave gives the second part of the eighth installment in the "So You're Dead, Now What?" series.
This is the fifth message in Dave Spencer's "So You're Dead...Now What?" series based on the book of Ecclesiastes.
This is the first message in Dave Spencer's series, "So You're Dead...Now What?" based on the book of Ecclesiastes
This is a PG-rated, stand-alone message based on what the Bible says about how Christ followers should respond to others regarding alternative lifestyles.
This is a message by Levi Lusko from FreshLife Church. Most of us underestimate what we can do in the long term, but we overestimate what we can do in the short term.
This is the fifth and final part or Dave Spencer's "Uncluttered" Christmas series. Make sure you are present to the moments in your life.
This is the second part of Dave Spencer's Christmas message series entitled Uncluttered.
This is the first of five messages in Dave Spencer's Uncluttered Christmas message series. Give more presence instead of more presents.
Pastor Dave brings the fourth and last installment in the "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" series.
Pastor Dave introduces part 3 of the "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" series, which includes a video message from Louie Giglio.
This is the first part of a four-part series entitled: Won't You Be My Neighbor? by Dave Spencer.
Pastor Dave brings us the next installment in his series, this one about sexual sin. Parents be advised that this message has a PG-13 rating.
This is the first message in the Secrets series. This message is presented in video form by Craig Groeschel from Life Church.
This is the third and final message on marriage in the In The Ring series from a man's perspective. Please note that parts of this message are PG-13.
This is the second message on marriage in the In The Ring series from a woman's perspective. Please note that parts of this message are PG-13.
This message, delivered by Dave Spencer, is based on a message by Craig Groeschel from Life Church
This message is Purpose Over Popularity delivered by Dave Spencer and based on a message by Craig Groeschel from Life Church.
This is the final installment of the Born In The USA series. It is an overview of the series.
Biblical prophecy is meant to confirm what we believe, not to satisfy our curiosity about future events.
This is the second part of the 6th message in the Born In The USA series by Dave Spencer
"Be Incredible" is a mini series brought by Pastor Dave Spencer about using your gifts to serve.
This is the second part of a message entitled Forget You by Sam Roberts from Life Church.
This is the first part of Fake Friends message of the Facebook, because being fake is so exhausting series by Pastor Dave Spencer.