Casas Church: Recent Episodes
Casas Church
What if the people walking away from church are not walking away from God? Jesus spent most of His ministry going to the people who thought the kingdom of God was not available to them. We see evidence of that in the book of Matthew. Today, many people who have been hurt by religion are still looking for something real, and they are looking for a place that is safe to try again. God is already at work; we just need to show up and meet people where they are!
God has been writing a story of hope, acceptance, love, and freedom through ordinary people like you who make room for others to encounter Him. Throughout our journey, we've seen Him do more than we could have imagined - and we believe He's not finished yet. Made for More is an invitation to embrace the life God is calling us into as we continue becoming a different kind of church where every person is accepted, deeply loved, and finds freedom in Jesus.
Many reduce the Christian life to belief, discipline, and obedience, only to find it hollow. But 1 John 4:16 reveals something deeper: God is not just loving - He is love. His love is always present, inviting us not to earn it but to receive it and abide in it. This love cannot remain private. We cannot love God while rejecting others, because loving people is loving God. Real transformation happens not in isolation, but in the messy, beautiful reality of community.
When a task feels too big, the instinct is to look for one extraordinary person who can carry it, but that is not how God designed His mission to work. He does not plant superheroes. He plants communities. Romans 16 is an often-overlooked chapter in the New Testament, often skimmed because of its long list of greetings. However, it is actually a vivid portrait of how God works through His people. All of us have a role. All of us have a place.
There are many ways to find community. You can join a club, a sports team, connect with family, and even find it at work. With so many versions of community in the world around us, what makes a church uniquely different? In this series, we will look at what it means to be a different kind of community. In doing so, we might find not just the community we are looking for, but one that exists to love the whole world.
Proverbs 10:19 reminds us that more words don't always bring more clarity. When emotions are high, adding more words often causes more harm than healing. Wisdom is knowing when to pause, when to hold back, and when to revisit the conversation later. Restraint isn't avoidance - it's choosing to protect the relationship. The most important conversations aren't won by being right, but by consistently choosing connection.
Proverbs 10:24 reminds us that fear shapes our lives - but so does hope. Instead of focusing on what you fear, ask what you truly desire beneath it. Then take one step this week toward that desire, trusting God with the outcome. Every step of faith shapes the person you're becoming. What occupies our inner world eventually shapes our outer world, often producing the very outcomes we were trying to avoid.
The way we engage with others matters. It can strengthen relationships and bring people closer together, or it can create hurt and distance. In those moments when we're unsure what to do or say, the book of Proverbs offers wisdom to help guide us forward.
The Book of Judges shows how the Israelites repeatedly fell into cycles of turning away from God during uncertain times, facing consequences, crying out for help, being rescued, and then repeating the same mistakes. Like them, we tend to reach for familiar solutions when life feels overwhelming, even when we know they're harmful. Breaking these cycles requires the courage to pause, examine our history honestly, and ask hard questions about our patterns. God walks with us through this difficult process of growth and transformation, providing the strength we need to choose differently.
What happens after your biggest breakthrough? Gideon defeated 135,000 enemies with just 300 men, but his real test came next. Are you living for the next big moment or finding meaning in today's small ones? Sometimes the most important question isn't what God will do next, but how we'll respond to what He's already done.
When we experience significant failure, our natural response is to protect ourselves by living defensively and avoiding risk. The story of Gideon shows us how failure can cause us to lose our anchor and retreat. God calls Gideon a mighty warrior even as he finds him in hiding, reminding us that one failure doesn't define our identity or capabilities. The desire for certainty before taking action is understandable, but if we always wait for guarantees, we rarely do what we need to do. Moving forward requires choosing trust over certainty and remembering that we were created to live fully, not just in survival mode.
In Judges, we see gifted, but flawed leaders living through cycles of compromise, rescue, and rebellion. When Israel drifts away from God, we witness the consequences of only using strength and influence without tempering it with surrender and integrity. Even though it seems like chaos, God continues to work through imperfect people. As we look at Judges, we will see why character matters more than giftedness.
Join us as we celebrate all the wonderful things God has done through each one of you! You make Casas a different kind of church for everyone to experience the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ. We’ll also be honoring our graduating senior class, hosting child dedications, and celebrating baptisms!
We all go through seasons that shape us. Today, we looked at the life of Joseph and explored how the moments we wouldn’t choose can still become part of who we’re becoming and who we will be on the other side of our experiences.
Our lives can feel busy all the time. Different seasons bring various challenges, and even though God wants to grow us in certain ways, how do we make room for it? The story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 brings light to the struggle we face. When everything feels equally important, we can follow a four-step process to creating room: take inventory of commitments, identify where God is working, create a hierarchy of priorities, and intentionally make room for what matters most.
When we feel like we’re running on empty - it doesn’t mean we are failing - it could mean we need to refuel by rediscovering our purpose, just like Paul shares in 1 Corinthians 9. If we make time to connect with our passions and with what God has put in our path, and focus on the goal, not just the process, we can discover renewed energy for growth.
How do you think God might be trying to grow you? In this second week, we looked at Moses’ story in Exodus that reveals two major obstacles that keep us stuck when God wants to grow us: believing our weaknesses disqualify us and thinking we have to handle everything alone. The key to growth isn’t ignoring our limitations, but shifting our gaze from ourselves to God’s power. We also don’t have to do it alone; God often prepares others to partner with us.
Oftentimes in our culture, we pursue comfort. However, what if God is doing His best work in the middle of a challenge? What if the very things we want to escape - tension, struggle, discomfort - are actually where growth begins? The places and times we feel weakest may be the moments we’re meant to invite others in and trust God more deeply.
Easter represents God's ultimate answer to what He truly desires from us. The cross became the final sacrifice, ending our need to earn God's approval through good works. The resurrection demonstrates that God's heart focuses on bringing us abundant life rather than judgment. Mercy is God extending grace regardless of our actions, and us opening our hearts to receive what He freely offers. This Easter message reminds us that we are already worthy and don't have to do anything for God's love. He has already prepared our place at His table.
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm Sunday, the crowds expected a military revolution against Rome, waving illegal palm branches as a symbol of political uprising. Instead, Jesus chose the path of love over force, demonstrating that God’s kingdom operates through grace and compassion rather than coercion and control. His apparent defeat on the cross became the ultimate subversive victory over death and separation from God. Lasting change comes not through forcing outcomes, but through trusting in the power and love in God’s timing.
During His ministry, Jesus challenged religion in many ways. He even took a traditional Jewish prayer that everyone would have known and added a radical element in Matthew 6:9-15 - forgiveness. By doing this, He emphasized that we must both receive and extend forgiveness to others. This creates challenges, of course, but true forgiveness is more about freeing the forgiver than changing the offender.
In this series, we’ll look at moments from Jesus’ ministry where He broke expectations by seeing people differently, treating outsiders with compassion, and challenging the religious system that kept people at a distance. Jesus didn’t come to protect religion. He came to reveal who God is.
Psalm 46 offers a powerful antidote when life feels overwhelming by reminding us that God is our refuge and strength. The psalm was written during real threats but maintains confidence because it centers on God's larger story rather than immediate fears. To find peace in chaos, we must remember that the same God who created order from chaos can anchor us when everything feels unstable. By looking up to remember God's faithfulness, being still, letting go of our need to control - keeping God at the center of our lives rather than our problems - we can move away from fear-based living towards being grounded in peace.
Jesus consistently challenged religious systems that excluded people, instead inviting everyone to come to Him for spiritual fulfillment. In John 7, He declared that anyone who is thirsty can come to Him and drink, offering living water through faith rather than religious ritual. When encountering a man born blind, Jesus shifted focus from asking why suffering happens to partnering with God in bringing healing and hope. Faith is about relationship and trust with Jesus, not following rules perfectly. We're called to include others rather than exclude them, using our gifts to partner with God in bringing His love into the world.
When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He didn't just say to love God - He added that we must love our neighbors as ourselves. These two commandments are inseparable, showing that loving God and loving people are two sides of the same coin. Being a good neighbor means seeing people as individuals who matter to God, and finding opportunities to partner with local organizations is a good way to take a step toward loving others.
Many people confuse genuine faith with blind devotion or unquestioning belief, but real faith is actually taking what you know about God and stepping into what you don't know. Abraham's story in Genesis 15 illustrates this perfectly. It shows that faith isn't about our performance or ability to control outcomes, but about trusting God's character and faithfulness. When you know God's heart for you - that He sees you, loves you, and wants to bless you - you can step into uncertainty with confidence.
Many people hesitate to trust Christianity because they've experienced conditional love from Christians that felt more like judgment than genuine care. Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan challenges us to examine whether our faith is authentic or just false advertising. The story reveals that loving your neighbor means showing mercy to anyone in need, regardless of their background or beliefs. The real test of faith isn't what we say we believe, but whether our actions demonstrate genuine, unconditional love. When people consistently experience this kind of authentic love from believers, it helps them trust that Christianity might actually be the real thing.
It can be a struggle to put faith into practice despite having extensive knowledge about Jesus. James 1:22 challenges us to be doers of the word, not just hearers. The difference lies in moving from being a student who accumulates knowledge to being a maker who transforms that knowledge into action. Instead of asking how well we did, we ask what we made. Makers pay attention to daily opportunities, take what they know about Jesus, and put it into practice - reflecting on their growth, not perfection.
In our algorithm-driven world, we’ve grown used to filtering out everything that doesn’t match our preferences. Paul calls us to something radically different. In Ephesians 4, he tells us to “bear with one another in love,” using the Greek word anechomai, which means to be patient with and accept others as they are. It’s about learning to live with others when they are difficult, different, or don’t think like we do. Following Jesus means resisting the urge to demand people change to fit our preferences and instead learning to love them as they are.
Sometimes life can feel like one giant group project where we didn’t get to pick our teammates. Combine that tension with short emotional fuses, and we can easily lash out at the people closest to us - the people we love most. We aren’t the only ones to face this - Paul’s letter in Ephesians discloses that the early church faced similar tensions that we do today. What if there were a way to create space between what happens to us and how we react? We learn about three powerful ways to lengthen our fuse and transform relationships.
Paul's letter to the Ephesians reveals that walking worthy isn't about earning our value through good behavior, but living from the security of knowing we're already worthy because of Christ. True humility flows from being anchored in God's love rather than seeking worth from external sources like achievements or approval. Christ-centered humility, combined with gentleness, creates unity in families, churches, and communities by allowing us to contribute to healing rather than division.
It can be a struggle sometimes to comprehend the concept of “walking worthy” in our calling. It can be interpreted as an aspirational challenge that only creates feelings of inadequacy, which can lead to cycles of comparison, judgment, or division within Christian communities. In Ephesians, Paul was addressing an early church that struggled with unity among diverse believers. The key is understanding the difference between aspirational worthiness and intrinsic worthiness.
Life throws unexpected challenges our way, but having clear personal values provides a foundation for navigating any situation with confidence. Values are more than beliefs - they're principles important enough to actually affect how you live. Jesus demonstrated this when he chose to eat with tax collectors and sinners, living out his core value of mercy despite criticism. To discover your values, start with a comprehensive list, narrow it down through comparison questions, and observe which ones consistently show up in your decisions. Don't choose values you think you should have; choose the ones that authentically reflect who God made you to be.
Life often feels overwhelming, just as it did for young Mary when the angel Gabriel appeared with life-changing news. Before delivering his announcement, Gabriel called Mary highly favored and told her to rejoice. He didn't promise to change her difficult circumstances, but highlighted the joy already present because she was beloved by God. We can become highlighters of joy for others by truly noticing people, speaking encouragement out loud, and bringing moments of lightness to their days. This doesn't mean ignoring real problems, but helping people see goodness and possibilities they may have lost sight of when life became too much to handle.
The story of Ruth and Naomi illustrates how devastating loss can overwhelm us, but it also introduces us to Boaz, who went beyond obligation to show genuine care and concern. Boaz demonstrated three key ways to help others during difficult seasons: showing kindness, offering encouragement, and advocating for others. We can do the same today by reminding people of what matters most, sharing our own struggles to provide perspective, and offering practical support when others feel overwhelmed. This Christmas season presents an opportunity to look around and help others find hope again.
The Christmas story is much bigger than our personal traditions and celebrations. Matthew included the wise men in his Gospel not because they were present at Jesus' birth, but to show that this story extends beyond any single community or culture. These foreign kings represent everyone outside our normal circles who long to know God. The birth of Jesus wasn't just for the Jewish people - it was good news for the entire world. This Christmas, we're challenged to look beyond our usual story and include others who need to know there's a Christmas story for them, too.
Life often feels chaotic, with people around us struggling through difficult circumstances. When someone's world is spinning out of control, they need someone to be their constant - a steady, unchanging presence. Joseph's response to Mary's unexpected pregnancy provides a powerful example of choosing to stay present rather than backing away. Instead of playing unhelpful roles like the avoider, escalator, or fixer, we can choose to be the reliable person who travels alongside others during their storms. Simply being present can transform both their experience and ours.
Life brings challenges that make us want to hide, but avoidance only makes our world smaller. In Joshua 2, Rahab demonstrates how to face two powerful obstacles—reputation and intimidation. Though known as a prostitute, she stepped into difficulty instead of running from it, becoming a hero of faith in the process. Her courage came from believing that God was bigger than her situation. When we fix our eyes on God’s power rather than our problems, we can rise above our past and move forward with confidence, no matter what stands in front of us.
Relationships can be difficult, and even Paul discussed the best ways to navigate them, but there is a way forward. If we approach others with the same humility and dignity that Jesus demonstrated and let go of the need to be right, we can choose acceptance over agreement. The choice to value people over the issues that divide us is a Christ-centered approach that maintains meaningful connections even when we disagree.
Life is full of challenges, but how we face them makes all the difference. James reminds us that trials aren’t just obstacles—they’re chances to grow. Instead of asking, “Why me?” we can ask, “What can God do through me here?” God gives us wisdom not to escape hard times, but to grow through them.
Religion often draws lines that exclude people, which is the opposite of what we see in the life of Jesus. Jesus consistently makes space for everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. Through the story of the Roman centurion in Matthew 8, we can see how Jesus didn’t require people to change before accepting them. Instead, He met them where they were and infused their lives with purpose and meaning. We are challenged as a church to do the same and become a community that gives away the acceptance and freedom we’ve received.
Living for someday can make right now difficult when we become so focused on future hopes that we miss God's present provision. Like the Israelites who complained in the desert despite the daily manna sent by God, we often lose sight of current blessings while waiting for our promised land. The key is learning to invite others to share our burdens and finding contentment in what God provides today. Deserts aren't delays but places where God forges us into people ready for His promises. By recognizing the manna on the ground and walking in community, we can thrive in our present circumstances while moving toward God's future plans.
Your worth, value, and identity are anchored in Christ - not the things you do. In this second week of The Whole Picture, two key challenges emerge. The first is no matter what generation you’re a part of, we need to choose to emulate Jesus. The second? Be willing to step out in faith despite fear of failure. We have the freedom to try, fail, learn, and grow because our value with Christ is never diminished.
This two-week series invites us to see the body of Christ with every generation connected. When one generation reaches back and another reaches forward, the church becomes whole because it is being shaped by the wisdom of the past and the faith of the future. Each has something to give and something to learn from one another while we all grow together in community.
The kingdom of God is beautifully simple at its core - God loves you and wants a relationship with you. However, life gets complicated sometimes. Exhaustion, confusion, expectations, and fear can cause us to lose sight of the simple truth. While the simple kingdom still requires effort and sacrifice, it's centered on trust - trust in God's goodness and His love. When life gets complicated, we need to return to whatever first anchored our faith in Christ.
In our busy lives, we often ask God for help while leaving no room for Him to work. Our hearts get cluttered with fear, doubt, and expectations, crowding out faith. Peter’s story in Matthew 14 shows that faith doesn’t have to be perfect - just enough to cry out, “Lord, save me.” God doesn’t expect us to have it all figured out; He simply asks us to make space for Him. Even a small opening of faith allows the great I AM to do extraordinary things, not because our faith is flawless, but because He is faithful.
Psalm 23 reminds us that peace is possible, even in the hardest seasons of life. It doesn’t pretend we can skip over tough times - instead, it shows us how to walk through them with God by our side. David’s words move from simply knowing about God to truly experiencing Him in a close, personal way. When we find ourselves in a valley, we can pause and let God restore our souls, lean on His goodness we’ve seen before, and keep taking the next step forward. The shadows may show up, but they don’t get the last word - because God is with us.
Sometimes we can feel as though our world is filled with division and uncertainty. During these times, gratitude becomes essential, as it helps us remember that our hope in Christ remains unchanged regardless of our circumstances. Finding new ways to express gratitude to God can be challenging. Psalm 150 and the song Gratitude invite us to express thankfulness with our whole being. In difficult times, the ancient word hallelujah offers a solution - a powerful expression when we don’t have the words.
In John 5, Jesus challenges the religious leaders who diligently studied Scripture but missed its true purpose. They treated the Bible as an end in itself rather than a means to relationship with God. Jesus points out that Scripture is meant to testify about Him, yet they refused to come to Him for life. We should approach Scripture not as a rulebook but as a way to be inspired to live like Jesus in our own unique contexts. When we start with Jesus and end with Jesus, Scripture becomes life-giving.
A different kind of church isn’t about rules—it’s about love. Jesus pushed back against religious leaders who weighed people down. Jesus didn’t come to add burdens but to love people. Love changes lives in ways rules never can. When we ask, “How can I love like Christ?” instead of “What rule should I follow?” we experience real transformation and show the world the life-changing love of Jesus.
Life can feel like a tug-of-war between a faith that only focuses on the positive and one that only sees brokenness and sin. But Jesus shows us a better way. In John 4, He meets a Samaritan woman with a complicated story—acknowledging her reality without judgment. Instead of forcing people to choose between pretending to have it all together or walking away from faith, Jesus invites us to embrace the beautiful mess of life. When we make space for both beauty and struggle, we create authentic communities where people can bring their whole selves.
Grace is often mistaken for mercy or forgiveness, but its true meaning is favor. Many Christians believe God loves them, yet doesn’t really like them, which creates a heavy burden and pushes people from faith. But grace means God’s unconditional favor - He both loves and likes us. This truth from John 1:16 shifts our focus and frees us to move from highlighting what’s wrong with people to demonstrating God’s love for them.
In Matthew 12, the Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus replied with Hosea 6:6: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” In that moment, He challenged the belief that God values perfect behavior more than people. God’s heart has always been for mercy, not burdensome religion. Many walk away from faith feeling crushed by impossible standards, but Jesus reveals a different picture - God’s priority is relationship, not rule-keeping. When we grasp this, it changes how we see Him and how we show Him to others.
More and more people are stepping away from organized religion, but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped looking for God. Jesus showed a different way - meeting people where they were, leading with compassion instead of judgment. In Matthew 15, when He fed the 4,000, He invited His disciples to be part of the miracle, showing that following Him means making space for others. A different kind of church does the same - it sees people’s stories, offers grace before rules, and invites participation without pressure to conform. It’s not about giving up truth; it’s about living it the way Jesus did - with love.
Jesus demonstrates that we don’t have to do something extraordinary to show others we genuinely care about them. He did something very ordinary for His disciples by washing their feet in John 13, but it made a significant impact because it demonstrated genuine care. We can be difference makers by serving others with love, which doesn’t require special abilities or circumstances. Each of us has the potential; we only have to be willing to take a step.
Jesus revolutionized our understanding of spiritual priorities by connecting the two greatest commandments - loving God and loving others - in a profound way. During the Last Supper, He gave a new command that loving one another as He loved us would be the defining mark of His disciples. This teaching reveals that we express our love for God through loving others, not through isolated spiritual disciplines. Making a difference requires community, as love can only exist in relationships. When we step into loving relationships, our connection with God grows stronger, enabling us to become the difference makers God created us to be.
Throughout this series, we’ve been learning from the Sermon on the Mount and how Jesus took Old Testament teachings and further revealed the heart of God. One of the most impactful moments is in Matthew 5:43 when Jesus teaches that it’s not about “identifying our enemies,” but ensuring we don’t become enemies ourselves. It isn’t about drawing lines between who deserves love and who doesn’t, but erasing those lines completely. By loving our enemies, we not only prevent ourselves from becoming what we hate but potentially transform both ourselves and our relationships.
Jesus challenges us to ask, 'Who do I most want to be when this conflict is done?' Rather than fixating on fairness, we can find creative third ways to respond to injustice. This approach invites us to pause before reacting, consider our desired outcome, and even practice unexpected grace. The goal isn't just becoming fair people, but reflecting God's character and standing against injustice without becoming unjust ourselves.
In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus addresses the common practice of oath-taking, teaching that we should be people of such integrity that oaths become unnecessary. He wasn't contradicting Old Testament teachings but revealing their true intent - that we should be consistently honest in our words and actions. Just as God remains constant and faithful to us, we should extend that same trustworthiness to others. By living with integrity, letting our 'yes be yes' and our 'no be no,' we become a reflection of God's trustworthy heart in a world desperate for people they can trust.
Do you ever catch yourself reducing people to labels instead of seeing them as children of God, loved by Him? In situations and circumstances we face, it can be simpler to reduce people to “somethings” rather than “someones.” Jesus’ words on divorce in Matthew 5 give us practical guidance for examining all our relationships - in marriage, family, workplace, and community - to identify where we might be treating others as “somethings” rather than “someones.”
Jesus transforms our understanding of adultery in the Sermon on the Mount by focusing on the heart rather than just external behavior. Matthew 5:27-30 reveals that Jesus wasn’t simply making the rules outlined in the Old Testament more strict; He was addressing the deeper issue of human desire and how it shapes relationships. Desire itself is not bad, but how are we directing our desires? Are we destroying relationships, or are we building them up?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus wasn't contradicting Scripture with His 'but I say to you' statements—He was revealing its deeper meaning. Taking the commandment 'do not murder,' Jesus expanded it to address the heart issues behind violence: anger, contempt, and broken relationships. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently approached people with compassion, seeing their needs and struggles rather than judging them. When we understand Scripture through Jesus' compassionate heart toward people, we grasp its deeper meaning and intent.
When Scripture and Jesus seem at odds, we should reconsider our approach. Jesus said He came to 'fulfill' the law, which means He had the authority to correctly interpret Scripture. The Sermon on the Mount demonstrates how Jesus challenged everyone's preconceptions about who belongs in God's kingdom. Through the Beatitudes and His 'But I say to you' teachings, Jesus wasn't contradicting Scripture but revealing its true intent. The key insight is that if we start with Jesus, we'll properly understand the Bible, but if we start with our interpretation of the Bible, we might miss Jesus.
In August, we set a few five-year goals as a church, which are rooted in our mission: Loving people into the acceptance and freedom of Jesus Christ. We’ve been pursuing those goals since August. On Sunday, we paused at “mile 13” to reflect on how far we’ve come and encourage each other to keep going in this marathon. Colossians 3 reminds us who we are in Christ and how love keeps us moving forward. You don’t need to run faster—you just need to keep going. Keep trusting Jesus. Keep choosing love. Our mission is still in motion, and mile by mile, we’re becoming the church we set out to be.
Throughout our spiritual journeys, it’s ok to experience both faith and doubt simultaneously. We see this in Sarah’s story in Genesis 18. She receives news that seems impossible, and her reaction to it reveals a struggle between faith and doubt that we all can face from time to time. Through her experience, we learn that having doubts doesn’t invalidate our faith journey, and we can trust God’s character even while questioning His timing.
Faith journeys, like Abraham’s, highlight that life is not linear but is filled with ups and downs, which are not indicators of weak faith but opportunities to stay constant in our faith. Through Abraham’s examples of faithful moments and failures, we see that faith is always available regardless of circumstances or decisions. God is with us through it all; our challenge is to continually trust in Him.
Sometimes the best place to begin is at the beginning. Abraham started to follow God without anything external. There were no scriptures to read to make sense of it, and no set doctrine. It was simply a call from God to Abraham to be in a relationship with Him. Whether you are new to faith or have been in a relationship with God for a while, what would it look like to model our spiritual lives after Abraham’s experience and simply follow?
The story of the Prodigal Son highlights the fact that we are not lost causes to God. Just as the father in the Prodigal Son welcomes his child home regardless of his choices, so God longs to be with us. When we return to Him, He doesn’t demand speeches of unworthiness but celebrates our homecoming. This truth is demonstrated through Jesus’ death and resurrection. God goes to extraordinary lengths to restore relationships with His beloved children. His love remains constant. He does not condemn, but welcomes us home.
The parable of the Prodigal Son reveals deeper truths through the older brother's perspective, highlighting common misunderstandings about God's kingdom. While appearing dutiful, the older brother misunderstood the purpose of celebration. His focus on rule-following over relationship and struggle with extending grace mirror challenges many face today. God's kingdom operates unexpectedly, valuing restored relationships over rigid rule-following, and invites everyone to participate in the joy of being a part of it.
We may already be familiar with the story of the lost son, but there are many layers and depths to it that we may have missed. It is a radical story of God’s love for us and how He views His relationship with us. His love isn’t about punishment, but about celebration and restoration. God's compassion extends to those who feel completely lost, and it has practical application in our lives today. Rock bottom isn’t too deep for God’s love to reach us.
Being part of God's family means adopting a spiritual dress code that transcends our earthly differences and divisions. We are called to clothe ourselves with spiritual attributes that reflect Christ's character. These include compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Above all, we must put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. While conflicts may arise, we're called to bear with one another patiently and forgive as Christ has forgiven us. This spiritual dress code transforms how we interact with others and shapes our identity as children of God.
Our relationship with God goes far beyond empty religion or worldly values - we are His beloved children. Rather than viewing God as a distant authority figure or basing our worth on achievements, we can embrace our identity as sons and daughters who are fully accepted and loved. This adoption gives us the privilege of calling God 'Abba Father' and living as true heirs in His family. When we truly grasp our identity as God’s children, it transforms how we see ourselves and how we relate to Him. This shift from a performance-based relationship to one of genuine belonging brings freedom.
Each person plays a vital and unique role in God's family, much like pieces in a mosaic. Rather than comparing ourselves to others, we should recognize how our individual skills, perspectives, and personalities contribute to the bigger picture. Our differences aren't flaws but essential elements that create beauty when combined. Making space for others' uniqueness while embracing our own allows God's family to function as intended, with every member playing their irreplaceable part.
Oftentimes we choose to love others because it’s “what a good Christian should do.” And that’s not bad, but as we mature spiritually, we can take a deeper look at what perspective Jesus modeled for us. When we take opportunities in our community to volunteer we become a part of the fabric of the city. It becomes ours. And, as outlined in Jeremiah 29:7, “…if it prospers, you too will prosper.” This is an encouragement to be involved in the city we live in and to be a difference maker where and when we can.
When we look at Jesus, we get to model our lives after Him. He interacts with people in ways that they feel seen and valued. Jesus does this in two distinct things: He gives love a name and a story. We see this in action with the woman Jesus heals in Mark 5:24. He shows love and care, but doesn’t stop there. He sees the person first.
Epiphany primarily celebrates three significant events that revolve around Jesus’ life: the visit of the Magi, Jesus’ baptism, and Jesus’ first miracle. In this final week of the series, we took a brief look at the meaning behind the Magi’s visit and how it was cause for hope. How does this hope translate to our day-to-day especially when we may be wrestling with hopelessness?
In John 2, we are witness to Jesus’ first miracle. He turns water into wine at a wedding, which may seem unusual, but hospitality was paramount in that time and that culture. This first miracle of Jesus has a lot of parallels to Moses’ first miracle. However, there are a lot of differences as well. By comparing and contrasting both miracles, we learn that with Jesus we always have more than enough.
The season called Epiphany often includes commemorating the three wise men visiting Jesus, the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, and Jesus’ first miracle at a wedding. Epiphany is the result of waiting and hoping for the Messiah. Today, we are not hoping for Him because He is with us. We have Him and the church can be the powerful expression of hope lived out and what goodness comes from living in the hope we have and can share with everyone.
How do we experience a God who is invisible to us? We know that God loves us, but we might not feel it with all that is happening in our lives. There are two ways that God shows His love: God makes Himself visible by manifesting Himself in Jesus and God makes Himself visible by manifesting Himself in us. As stated in 1 John 4:12 - we are the ones who can show God’s love for us by loving one another.
When we come to know and believe the unconditional love God has for us, we are assured that it will drive out fear as it says in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” Life is full of hurts and in those moments, it can be easy to leave love and reach for something else. However, love will transform us. We are encouraged to choose to trust the love of God and remain in that love. Let’s not let fear sit in the driver's seat of our faith, but let love be there and stay there.
If what you’re being taught isn’t moving you to be centered in Christ and living out love then it’s not God. Keep testing what you hear against what John teaches us in 1 John 4 and keep testing it. It’s ok to wonder and ask questions when it comes to building your spiritual life. Everything God does flows from love and that’s how you know it’s God. If that’s not what you’re experiencing then maybe it’s time to renovate your spiritual life and test your foundation against who God is and what Jesus lives out in scripture.
There’s a theme running through scripture about how God remembers certain things and forgets others. This is asked of all of us too. Remembering includes holding on to the larger story of what God is doing. And forgetting, or letting go, includes stepping into the new thing God is doing. As we begin 2025, how do we end this year well and enter the new year embracing how God might use us as part of His larger story?
We often talk about the love God has for us and the love of Jesus we can share with others. However, we might forget that God actually likes us! In Genesis, God declares creation - including us - very good. He created us and wants to have a relationship with us. In Isaiah 43:25 He doesn’t say, “I will blot out your sin for your sake.” He declares, “I will blot out your sin for my sake.” He forgives our sins and remembers them no more because He wants a relationship with us. As we move forward in our spiritual life, it’s better to build a foundation on that knowledge rather than attempting to earn anything from God. We can’t earn His approval and we don’t have to worry about losing it either. He gives it freely.
One of the oldest Christmas songs is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” It is written with a perspective of longing similar to how we can often wonder in life circumstances, “Where is God?” The verses capture the darkness of life before Jesus while the chorus embodies the rejoicing and hope that Jesus will arrive. In our day-to-day lives - are we choosing to live in the verses of the song? Or are we embracing the hope that is Jesus as reflected in the chorus by seeing things differently and trusting God? It isn’t a one-time choice, but a continual process of choosing to live as though Jesus is with us.
As we change our focus from what we see in the mirror to the people around us, we'll begin to recognize that there are people who need to experience God's heart and His love and we are the ones who can do that! This is what the song “Little Drummer Boy” can teach us. God can use whoever we are and whatever we have for His purpose. We all have something to offer that can benefit the world around us in beautiful and amazing ways.
When we sing "O Holy Night," we are reminded that people are of great value to God, there is always hope on the horizon, and Jesus is good news for everyone! In the story of Jesus's birth, we are reminded that God is constantly seeking to love us and set us free, which is good news indeed. If we don’t embrace the good news for ourselves, as described in Mark 1:14, we can get in the way of the good news for others. Let it be a blessing to us and everyone this season that there is hope because Jesus can carry the weight of it all.
Outward Facing means finding a way to intentionally do good and to keep doing good in multiple different ways. In Galatians 6:9, Paul encourages the early church to “not become weary in doing good.” Sometimes, it takes time to see the benefit of all we’re trying to do for others. We have to trust that God is at work in the good and unique things we are doing in this world and trust His timing, just as a farmer trusts that there will be a time of harvest.
Thanks for being with us this morning! At Casas, it doesn't matter what your story is, your background, or the stage of life you're in - you are valued and accepted just as you are. We believe everyone has value and purpose and is loved by God. We're glad you're here!
In this series, we’ll discuss different hurts, habits, and hangups that can become a sticking point in our lives. We might find God in the midst of them or move past them. Either way, we will learn more about how to process these impactful experiences.
The first week in this series, we talked about different hurts we’ve experienced. This week we explored habits and how we can break away from the various habits we have. We looked at Genesis 24 - 33 and what we can learn from the life of Jacob. There are three things that can help turn habits around: awareness of the habit, a fuller vision of what we do want if that habit wasn’t in the way, and relationships with others that pull us forward to life beyond that habit we’ve created.
In this series, we’ll discuss different hurts, habits, and hangups that can become a sticking point in our lives. We might find God in the midst of them or move past them. Either way, we will learn more about how to process these impactful experiences.
What does it mean to create the kingdom of God around us when faced with political issues? They aren’t small concerns, either, especially when the subject directly affects us. It makes sense that our hearts are caught up because it’s all around us. We may feel our only hope is getting the right person in office. However, our hope is not found in the results of an election and the kingdom of politics. It is far too small of a kingdom to anchor the heart of the church.
In this series, we’ve established that we live in a world of competing kingdoms all around us and within us. How do we then advance the kingdom of God? Jesus and John the Baptist discuss this in Matthew 11. The kingdom of God is already being ushered into this world right now if we anchor ourselves in Jesus’ way of transformation over force. We follow Jesus because He changed our hearts, which doesn’t happen through force.
There are competing kingdoms all around us and within us. That is why it is important that when we read the Lord’s Prayer, we recognize when Jesus says, “Thy kingdom come.” He is sharing with us what to set our hearts towards. The kingdom you desire is the kingdom you create. Then, what does it mean to build the kingdom of God? This first week we compared the kingdom of religion the Pharisees were focused on building versus the kingdom of God that Jesus built and what it looks like to be part of Jesus’ kingdom.
All of us want to feel a sense of purpose as human beings made in the image of God. We all have a bigger picture of what we envision for our lives. We can find this hope in the book of Micah. Even though we live in a world of chaos, fear, and hopelessness we can’t let that pull us down. We have to get back ahold of God's larger story for us. You’ve got to remind yourself that God is shepherding a bigger story with you. Even if you lose your story - God hasn’t. Grace, courage, and faith will pull you forward even in difficult times.
If God is good why do bad things happen in this world? To better understand this we looked at the minor prophet Habakkuk. We learned that God saw and felt everything Habakkuk was experiencing and He cared about it. When we ask God why we need to hold three things: hope, faith, and joy. We hold onto hope because God cares for us. We know and have faith that it is safe and okay to be honest with God when we’re upset. We can have joy by living out of hope and faith, which helps us let some light into our lives even when navigating difficult things.
We'll learn about a few minor prophets in the next three weeks of this brand-new series. This first week we learned more about Amos. This part of the Bible holds meaningful everyday value for us especially when we look at it in context. After this series concludes, we hope that the minor prophets will come alive for us in a new way with life application and worthwhile takeaways to use wherever you are spiritually.
The world needs more churches centered on Jesus, what He modeled for us, and what He taught. Jesus illustrates two houses in Matthew 7:24 - 27. One house was built on the rock and the other one on sand. The house built on the rock stood firm despite everything. Jesus asks that our lives be built on His teachings and His foundation. When a community of people live out of that foundation and financially support it - God can do beautiful things through us, with us, and move His mission forward of being a Christ-centered church that loves people as Jesus taught.
Life can become complicated and one of the greatest gifts we can give our families is learning when to say so we can say yes. We see in Acts how the church grows and changes over a relatively short time and how the disciples intentionally decide what other people can do so they can focus on the things that only they can do. When we identify the things in our lives that only we can do we learn where our most important yeses are.
Whatever family you come from we all need a seat at the table. Chairs may seem mundane and ordinary, but if you are invited to sit at the table - they become a significant form of acceptance. The definition of family is having a seat with them. In the book of Matthew, we see Jesus model this for us. We are all a part of God’s family and God has a seat for us with Him. Who in your life needs a seat next to you?
Paul wrote letters to churches to encourage and help in their struggles. This week we read through Philippians 2:1-4 and explored the ways a church is like a family and how we can put the ideas Paul shares into practice. When we find ourselves existing in different types of tension within our families, how can we refocus our energy on valuing others despite our differences?
We define family as the people in your life that you care about. This could be the family you were born into or the family you created. Anytime we let people into our lives, things can be complicated. This week, we read Proverbs 14:26 and what it can tell us about living in the unconditional love of God and learning how to put the weight down that others might place on us or that we unintentionally place on them.
It’s becoming more difficult for people to find God these days. Statistics show us that more and more people declare that they have no affiliation with any beliefs. We want to be a different expression of what a church should be. Our mission is to love people into the acceptance and freedom of Jesus Christ. Still, beyond that - Jesus is our way and our path forward - His way supersedes anything else and we want everyone to join us to experience His love and grace.
This week concludes our series Difference Makers with an opportunity to partner and participate with others in some area of the church. That could range from praying for different ministries or even taking a step to get involved volunteering or joining a small group. We seek to be a great difference-making church and need your participation to help cultivate that just as Paul encourages that of the early churches in 2 Corinthians and Philippians.
If we want to make a difference in people’s lives - we should probably think about how we go about it. To make a difference in the lives of others you have to show up differently than they are expecting. If our goal is to follow Jesus and be more like Him, we should also follow how He treated those around Him. When we see Jesus’ actions in John 4, we see Him meet someone right where they are, which makes all the difference.
One of our core values is being a multi-generational church. This means we find ways to see and honor all generations. It also means reaching back to the younger generations - part of that is investing support into and sharing solidarity with parents of that next generation. You can always do this by sharing your personal experiences, pointing others to Jesus, and encouraging others toward their own authentic experience with God.
We don’t just attend church - we are the church. Joining a group is a powerful way to live that out. There is a whole group of people who need to know your story because it will benefit their journey. You also need to know their story because it will do transformational things in your life too. This give-and-take of life experiences brings us closer together to support one another, encourage each other, and, ultimately, better express the love of Jesus to the world around us.
In the final week of this series, we read through Romans 12:9-19 as we focused on actions. There are three things that we can take from Romans. 1) Don’t start with the action - start with the person. 2) Don’t let the actions of someone else determine your behavior. 3) Don’t play God. Do all things with sincere love and change your focus so you don’t end up fighting fire with fire. Who do you want to be when the situation you find yourself in is over?
This series highlights how we can hold our words, actions, and reactions in a way that best reflects who we want to be. In week two, we focused on reactions and how we cultivate those responses because our reactions are formed by the things we surround ourselves with daily. If we want to change how we react we need to ask what we are filling ourselves with because that is where our reactions originate.
How can we maintain control of our words, actions, and reactions amidst the unpredictable situations that happen in life? We want to talk about these three specific areas and how we can regain or maintain control of them while being honest about who we desire to be.
On this Vision Sunday, we learned more about who Casas is, how you're a significant part of who we are, and where we're going as a community together as we step further into our mission of acceptance, love, and freedom in Christ.
In this last week of Parables, we looked at Matthew 18:21 and the question put to Jesus is how many times we should forgive? When we feel like we’ve been wronged there are two options in front of us: the path of bitterness and the path of forgiveness. We hope to choose the path of forgiveness as it reflects the heart of God. It reflects it for us and for the people in our lives.
In this fourth week of our Parables series, we read through the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard from Matthew 20:1-16. All the workers get paid the same no matter how long they’ve worked. Jesus uses this illustration to show that our illusions of fairness can trap us into comparison and make us lose trust in God. If we focus on fairness we miss what we’ve already been given. The all-day worker and one-hour worker get paid the same, which reflects the heart of God more?
We celebrated the ministry year looking to Jesus as true north as we move forward in the acceptance, love, and freedom of Him together! We also rejoiced with 40 people who were baptized. Thank you for joining us as we thank God for working through us and with us to keep sharing our mission.
Parables are stories that paint a picture that becomes a mirror that becomes a window through which we can look and have a deeper understanding of who God is. This week we looked at a parable from Luke 18:9-14 with a tax collector and a Pharisee. In learning more about this story, we were challenged to be honest to who we are, where we are, as we are, and have an open and vulnerable heart with God that is anchored in His love, power, and grace.
In this second week of our Parables series, we dove into the story of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10. We learned that in parables we’re supposed to see ourselves in the story and through that then see the heart of God. Sometimes religion gets to a space where it protects its own sense of righteousness rather than loving people. Understanding parables can bring us back to what really matters to God and what should matter to each of us.
Is the story you’re telling with your life bigger than just you? We began our Parables series looking at Luke 12:16 - 21 and how it captures the idea that we should be less self-focused and more outwardly focused. We can connect to the larger picture if we change our mindset and begin from a place of gratefulness. We were challenged to think about what we invest in as a community and how we can further connect to the bigger story God is writing with us and through us, leading to a deeper, more meaningful life with Jesus.
In scripture, Jesus says, "Come follow me." What does that look like for each of us as we walk through life following Jesus? This series will look at some common steps we take in our Christian walk and what they mean within the context of following Jesus. In this first week, we explored scriptures about baptism and the common questions often asked surrounding it.
In scripture, Jesus says, "Come follow me." What does that look like for each of us as we walk through life following Jesus? This series will look at some common steps we take in our Christian walk and what they mean within the context of following Jesus. In this third week, Glenn went over passages in Luke 22 and the story of the Passover from the Old Testament to help clearly explain the importance of communion. Because Jesus is enough - you're enough and this is the beauty of communion.
In scripture, Jesus says, "Come follow me." What does that look like for each of us as we walk through life following Jesus? This series will look at some common steps we take in our Christian walk and what they mean within the context of following Jesus. In this second week, Ryan used scriptures in Genesis and Corinthians to illustrate our need to be a part of the church. We need others and they need us.
In scripture, Jesus says, "Come follow me." What does that look like for each of us as we walk through life following Jesus? This series will look at some common steps we take in our Christian walk and what they mean within the context of following Jesus. In this first week, we explored scriptures about baptism and the common questions often asked surrounding it.
How do we build an honest faith into an honest life? We go to church, have faith, read the Bible, and try to make good choices that align with all of it - yet, bad things still happen. We are human. Bad things will still happen. The truth is honest faith in God won’t keep bad things from happening, but it means we will not suffer alone. You can ask yourself three questions: 1. Is there room for pain, hardship, and struggle in my faith in Jesus? 2. What does it change when I do struggle if I know that Jesus is with me? 3. What comfort do I draw from knowing that my God has suffered, struggled, and knows pain the way I do? If we wrestle with those questions now, there will be an anchor in the difficult moments life brings.
Having faith doesn't mean we won't have questions, which can make it complicated to walk by faith. Faith also doesn't mean we won't have negative experiences, but how do we know God is with us through them?
Having faith doesn't mean we won't have questions, which can make it complicated to walk by faith. Faith also doesn't mean we won't have negative experiences, but how do we know God is with us through them? This new series looks at the simple ways to follow Christ that will be helpful when faced with big questions about what faith means and how we practically apply it to our lives.
God is partnering with all of us to keep sharing our mission of acceptance, love, and freedom in Jesus. You make a difference. Whether you directly participated in the event or helped support Love Our City financially, we celebrated what our partnership organizations do in Tucson daily to love people in our surrounding community and how that love continues to cascade outward.
In the first week of this series, we looked at an example of a difference-maker in the story of Ruth. Then last week we realized through the story of David that despite any obstacle, God can use us as a difference-maker. This week we learned that there might be moments where we are prepared to make a difference, we have our expectations all set, and then God turns the situation to another way. This can cause tension in us. In looking at 1 Timothy we can see how even when the situation changes, we are still making a difference in those around us. God is still at work through us and uses us in amazing ways.
We can often struggle with the idea that we’re all difference-makers. If we look at the life of David who was one of the most revered kings in the Bible we see that from when he was first anointed to be the future king to when he became king - 15 years passed. This teaches us that it sometimes takes a while to be the difference maker we want to become. However, God can use us. He is with us and for us and we can love people well while we wait for our moment to be the difference maker we want to be. We are all equipped for it because we love Jesus and He loves us - we have been changed by that so why wouldn’t we want the world to know it?
If you reflect on your life, who was a difference maker for you? Who was the person who you’ve been positively influenced by? Throughout scripture, there are difference-makers. People that God has used for His purpose in amazing ways. In this series, we’ll learn more about what it is to be a difference maker. This first week we looked at Ruth and dived into why Ruth was an influential person and made a significant difference in the lives of those she cared about.
Our emotions are an indication of what’s going on in our hearts. We often experience strong emotions before fully understanding what’s happening. This can have more of an effect than we realize. In the book of Jonah, we learned that Jonah kept running from the emotions he needed to address. He did not address the source of the smoke. Smoke is an indicator of something deeper happening. How can we acknowledge what is going on in our lives and our emotions more healthily so we don't miss God's grace?
Sometimes we get on the ride of the shame rollercoaster. There is always an opportunity to return to the story of Christ in us. That is your story and who you are. Your identity, worth, and value are anchored in Christ, leaving no space for shame. Christ canceled any shame you are trying to carry. You are ultimately meant to be free and alive in Jesus. Paul encourages the church in Colossians 2 that no one passes judgment on anyone. Let who you are be anchored in Christ and that you’re with Him and base your life on who He is. The moments that we fail in life don't define us.
In this series, we’re exploring all the different moments that come our way and how we can approach them differently so we don’t get caught up in a ride that we don’t want to be on. This week we dove into Titus 3 and we asked, “What if Christ is the answer that makes the difference in our lives so we don’t engage situations in the same way?” If Christ is in us, with us, and works through us - shouldn’t that make a difference in our daily lives and the circumstances we experience?
Wouldn’t you love to have a year where you were connected to where God is leading you then with people who are on a ride you don’t want to get on? Proverbs gives us a lot of insight on how we can pursue that. If we’re aware of different mindsets that people are coming from we can have a new level of awareness and change how we interact with them, which helps us with all the types of relationships we experience.
Let's begin the New Year by spurring one another on to love that is action as it says in Hebrews 10. Let's continue to be in a community together and hold on to the hope of God. We have access to a relationship with God because of Jesus Christ so let's embrace it. There are some good and beautiful things coming in this New Year. We pray for God to help us have His heart and love others with the love that He shows us.
This week we concluded our Advent series leading up to our Christmas at Casas celebration. We loved having you with us these weeks as we centered around the hope we have in Jesus, the joy we experience in life with Him, and prepared our hearts for the wonder that this season brings.
This week we continue our Advent series leading up to our Christmas at Casas celebration. We can't wait to see you these coming weeks as we center around the hope we have in Jesus, the joy we experience in life with Him, and prepare our hearts for the wonder that this season brings.
This week we began our Advent series leading up to our Christmas at Casas celebration. We can't wait to see you these coming weeks as we center around the hope we have in Jesus, the joy we experience in life with Him, and prepare our hearts for the wonder that this season brings.
We extended this series about all the kinds of relationships you experience in life to learn more about the dynamics within a romantic relationship - particularly marriage. This series has been for everyone and we hope that by learning how to change some dynamics within relationships, you’ll be able to change how you interact with them.
Today was all about how to change the dynamic within romantic relationships and read through passages in Song of Songs. When we get into a dance that neglects to value connection, how do we move back toward one another? There are two practical ways to step into intentional connection. 1) Be available. When you need each other, be there for each other. 2) Be responsive. Respond in a different way that values the other person. These two steps together will help move us toward connection, which is the foundational support of relationships.
This series is about all the kinds of relationships you experience in life. This series is for everyone and we hope that by learning how to change some dynamics within those relationships, you’ll be able to change how you interact with them.
This series is about all the kinds of relationships you experience in life. This series is for everyone and we hope that by learning how to change some dynamics within those relationships, you’ll be able to change how you interact with them.
Every church has a unique opportunity in today’s culture. In this message, we learned what is important to us as a church and what challenges that presents. We also discovered how we are uniquely positioned as a church in reaching our wider community, and why we’ve chosen to highlight certain dynamics of a relationship with God. How does that set us apart and what is our collective focus moving forward? How can you sustain what we're doing here at Casas?
We’ve been exploring a core passage from 1 Peter 2:9 throughout this series. In this final week, the focus was on why worship is imperative to our spiritual journey. The priests in the Old Testament knew what it meant to worship. Since, as believers, we are declared to be a part of that same priesthood, we can take away three important things to implement about worship from 2 Chronicles 5:11-14. 1) Some moments are worth pausing for 2) Priests knew how to make some noise 3) Priests knew the power of worshipping together. Remember, your engagement in worship is being shared with those around you. Don’t underestimate the power of that unified spirit engaging with God and focusing on Him.
As a follower of Jesus, it means that you have a ministry. God has given you a unique life that only you can live. What do you care about? What does ministry look like for you? There are three simple questions you can ask to find the ministry opportunities around you: who, what, and where. Who are the people God has brought to you and how can you shine the light of Jesus in their lives?
Our job as followers of Christ is to help people resolve what is causing them to feel distant from God, support them through their struggles, and remind them of what God really thinks of them. The truth is God is at work in situations even before we realize it and He never gives up on them. As part of the “royal priesthood” mentioned in 1 Peter 2:9, our role is to help people, lift them back up to Jesus, and remind them of His love for them.
We may not be facing the same persecutions as the early church that Peter is writing to in 1 Peter 4:8, but we are the living breathing representation of the church to others. We are challenged to love above all else and show hospitality to others without grumbling. In this way, we can open others' hearts to the love of Jesus.
In relationships, there will always be something we don’t like that the other person does. What do you do in those moments? In Ephesians 4:31-32, Paul outlines two different pathways we can find ourselves on when handling these difficult moments in all types of relationships. How do we keep on a path that chooses kindness and forgiveness instead of going down the road of bitterness?
The early church had a vision for what church is supposed to be: accepting and uniting. However, much like our culture, they faced a lot of differing opinions, backgrounds, and experiences. They did have something that united them in purpose, which was intentionally including others. They understood it was their job to create a picture of what it means to be a Christian. If we focus on communicating that people have a place with us - we can create a clear picture of acceptance and belonging too.
The phrase “one another” is used 100 times in the New Testament. A lot of those occurrences reference “loving one another,” but other times it is used to communicate the need for unity and humility. Church is a beautiful place where we get to be with one another, but the church is not the building. Jesus living in us is the anchor that units us as we move forward in humility, opening our hearts to the people around us because each of us is the church.
Jesus’ way of loving people didn’t leave them behind. Just as lyrics can sound flat without music to accompany them so does the gospel. The gospel isn’t just words. The gospel is lived out in love. Love is the music that makes the gospel relational and real. Loving others was Jesus’ greatest command to us. August is our ministry launch and a reset of our year, how can we intentionally walk with others in love and bring them along with us?
One of our deeply held values is being a multi-generational church. Participating in child dedication together is one of the ways we can experience that value. We can model three things for the following generations: we put our hope in God, model the way of Jesus, and allow them to make their faith their own.
People’s joy has dropped significantly. In fact, it’s the lowest it has been in five decades. How do we counteract this phenomenon? A life with God should be joy-filled, which doesn’t mean we won’t face difficulties, but we see evidence of His joy throughout the Old and New Testaments. If God “rejoices over us with gladness” - shouldn’t a life with Him reflect that? There are three simple ways we can start applying today to tap into the joy that God has with us.
A life with God looks very different than the two other ways we might approach a relationship with Him. The first viewpoint is “life under God,” which originates from a fearful place. The second is “life over God,” which views a relationship with Him as transactional. However, if we take a look at scripture in both the New and Old Testament we see that if we practice trusting God and identifying even the small ways He blesses us, we can move into a “life with Him.”
When we read the Bible and understand God from its text, we often do so with a Western mindset. However, we have to remember that the Bible is an ancient text written with an ancient Near East way of thinking that is quite different. How can we relate to God in a more relational way by reading it with a renewed mindset?
For the final week of this series, the message was based on the question: what does love ask me to do? In 1 Corinthians 13:4-13, we read everything that love does, but what if we looked at those verses in such a way that we were challenged to apply it every day in our communities? How could that impact the decisions we make for the better?
We all have filters we use when making decisions and discerning our choices in any given situation. However, are the filters we use actually helpful when determining the best possible course of action? We make an estimated 35,000 decisions per day and out of those thousands of decisions what would it look like to change the filter and ask the question: What is the wise thing for me to do?
This series has highlighted certain key questions that can help us when we’re faced with decisions. This week we looked at the question: Is there a tension that deserves my attention? First, we can ask if there is tension that exists by taking the time to pause and reflect. Second, we can determine if it needs attention. Finally, we should approach the decision by acknowledging that Jesus lives in us.
Oftentimes we feel that there is only one right choice when we make decisions. What if there was a way for you to trust in the decision that you’ve made because of the freedom you have in Christ?
Oftentimes we feel that there is only one right choice when we make decisions. What if there was a way for you to trust in the decision that you’ve made because of the freedom you have in Christ?
We may often think that our world is the most controversial and divisive it has ever been, but if we look back to the time of Jesus’ ministry, we’ll find that their world was pulled in many different directions as well. Casas aims to be the church that follows Jesus’ lead. Jesus founded his ministry on loving others and that’s what we choose. Everyone has a place here as we move forward living out our mission of acceptance, love, and freedom.
Our mission launch last August gave us a unifying purpose. This Sunday, we looked back and celebrated what God has accomplished through each of us this ministry season. We also heard stories from all our ministry area leaders on the powerful ways they saw this mission lived out.
Technology is not bad, but the average American spends a lot of time on devices, and yet surveys indicate we’re feeling lonely. The early church has some insight that we can apply to create true and meaningful connections in our world today to combat that loneliness. In Acts 2 we see the intentional effort this diverse group of people put into creating moments of connection. The challenge for us is to step into similar moments and invite others to be with us.
How many of us sometimes struggle to celebrate moments because it doesn’t match where we’re at in life? As shown in Joshua 4, marking and recognizing the meaningful moments that come in life is important. God is doing things through you and around you. We should strive to celebrate them deliberately because our life and experiences are too important to miss.
The concept of “enough-ness” isn’t new. In Genesis, we read that God created a beautiful garden that was enough for His creation. However, being cautioned against eating from one tree changed the whole dynamic. As humans, we can’t help but question “why” something would be the way it is, but why wasn’t the whole garden enough? This concept is evident sometimes in our lives as we strive for the next thing that will be enough. How do we come to realize that God provides enough for us and we can rest in that and trust it?
We may sometimes struggle to give ourselves permission to rest. However, if we want to be a blessing to the people around us, the people who are important to us, we need to rest. It is possible to experience the goodness of what we’ve accomplished even if all the work isn’t complete. In Mark 2:27 Jesus tells us, “The Sabbath was made for man not man made for the Sabbath.” This is modeled in Genesis 1 when God steps back from what he has created, pauses, and sees “it is good.” Our challenge is to step back and appreciate a job well done before we move forward.
In this first week of Letting Go, we explored the chiastic structure of Genesis 1 and made some discoveries. God created us with great forethought and placed a high value on us. The order of the creation had intentionality and everything was given a place. At the end of creating, God modeled rest for us. Therefore, part of our job as His creation is resting because of the great value He placed on us.
In Luke 22, Jesus establishes something new. He shares a vision of a world that starts with Him now and goes on for all eternity. His promise of a relationship with Him doesn’t begin “someday” - we can be in a relationship with Him now. Jesus is saying during The Last Supper, “I’m the one. You can find forgiveness, grace, and rest in me and it’s for all of you.”
We get to choose in this life if we step into the opportunities to help tell God’s story. God wants to partner with us. We all have an audience that knows us and what we’re about. We may feel we’re lacking in some areas, but God can use whatever we bring or don’t bring to the table, which we see reflected in Luke 9. It may be worthwhile to ask what we want others to see from us.
During a pivotal dinner with religious leaders of the day in Luke 11, Jesus offers observations on living life without being bound up by religious rules, requirements, and judgments. 1) The condition of your heart and mind matters 2) See the person sitting across from you as they truly are and 3) Your religion shouldn’t be so heavy that others can’t carry it. Jesus cautions us not to focus on our outside religious appearance because that can move us away from the love of God, which can then have a ripple effect on those around us.
Someone needs a seat at your table. This doesn’t mean making room for them at your dinner table specifically, but it can. It also means making room for them in your life. We see in Luke 14 that Jesus heals a man whom society in that day would have ignored. He shows that man that he had a place with Jesus. We always have a seat at God’s table. No matter what. What are we doing to show others the same seat is for them too?
One of the most important roles of the church in the world is to share the good news. However, sometimes it can feel as if the good news has to be presented in a certain way to actually land as good news with everyone. There’s a story in Luke that illustrates how Jesus is truly the embodiment of good news and how we can share it with others in a way that accepts and loves people right where they’re at.
David's story has many ups and downs, but even during the low moments, he finds a way to pull himself up. When we go through difficult times and come out the other side do we ever feel alone and isolated in what we just experienced? The key is to not “numb out,” but face it, process it, and try to connect to your life's larger story. God has brought you through before and He’ll continue to be with you.
All of us go through difficulties, challenges, and hard times. Not one of us has experienced a trouble-free life. However, we can choose to see difficulty as a teacher. Through adversity, we learn perseverance and how God pulls us through time and again. It can build up our faith in new ways and we can face the next thing with more grit.
This series will give you tangible ways to find grit-filled faith. Grit, in this case, means the resiliency to come back from something and be ready to face the next challenge. This happens in partnership with changing your lens on how you may view God. We should strive to cultivate a strong faith, but what practical steps can we take to pursue that?
When people misuse God and use Him in a way that doesn't reflect who He is - it can be difficult to trust people, the church, or religion. How do we move forward together in a way that won't crush spiritual journeys?
We began the New Year altogether at one service. Glenn shared the idea of the importance of remembrance, but with that, the need to recognize that we don't need to hold onto things God has already forgotten. If we constantly dwell on the things that bring us shame how will we be able to experience the joy of a relationship with Him?
When hope becomes difficult to hold we have the tendency to become cautious or hesitant when hope to right in front of us. We don’t want to have our hopes dashed. However, we can be the ones that hold onto hope and change the world - even if the world doesn’t change around us. In Luke 1:26-38 we see Mary deciding to hold onto hope because “nothing is impossible with God.” Let that be the source of our hope as well. Nothing is impossible with God.
Christ-minded humility isn’t the practice of making yourself less. It’s living in a way that lifts others up. We often see humility as debasing ourselves, but that’s an old way of thinking that Paul is breaking away from in Philippians. We see true humility in the life of Christ. He treasured everyone and sought to lift up others because that mattered most just as God treasures you today.
What if as a church we decided we want to become like-minded in living out how we’ve been treated by Jesus? People would then experience His encouragement, a sense of fellowship, tenderness, and compassion because it would be central. Beliefs, theology, and doctrine rarely work to center us. If we share together what Jesus gives to us we can offer that to others.
Differences between us are not bigger than the bond we share as believers in Christ. Amidst all the noise of our arguments, we lose the ability to hear the people around us and their search for unconditional love and hope. We’re never going to agree on all the details, but we can agree on a larger unifier that brings us together - Christ.
We may often hear the phrase “Churches just want your money.” How can we look at giving beyond that statement? In 2 Corinthians, Paul gives us a picture of what giving should look like and why it’s important. There’s a different kind of giving that comes from the heart and is rooted in the joy we have in our dreams for the community around us.
In Romans Chapter 14, Paul describes a third way to live when disputable matters arise. We don’t have to figure out everything or try to disagree in the correct way. Following Christ in faith is all Paul says we need when lines are drawn. We don’t have to convince each other of one “right way” or argue our point. We only need to put our energy into pursuing our relationship with Jesus, allowing God to work through us, and finding the loving thing to do in the situation we face.
Oftentimes disagreements and tension can create distance and resentment between us and the relationships in our lives. In order to reconcile those meaningful relationships, we need to remember to see them as God sees them, choose to lean into the difficulty rather than avoid the discomfort, and take the vulnerable step of removing any obstacles in our power to remove.
When life can feel all tangled up there are two practical things that you can do: prayer and meditation. Prayer holds the possibility of changing you or God changing something for you. Meditation is an opportunity to pause and can pull you back to who God is and what He has for you. With both practices, you can know that whatever you face - you can always come before God and cast your cares on Him.
Sometimes we might struggle with the concept of relationship instead of religion. Glenn shared three practical steps on Sunday to help increase our relational connection to God. He challenged us to try them out this week and see what happens. Step One: Pray through Psalm 139: 7-12. Step Two: Practice imagining God just smiling at seeing you. Step Three: Practice enjoying the company of God, with others. Be deliberate in reminding yourself that through relationships we can find an even deeper and richer connection to God.
Reading the Bible can seem complex, but Glenn illustrated a “funnel” process to reading that starts with Jesus and who we know Him to be and ends with the text itself. This allows us to take a step-by-step approach to understand scripture. How you read the Bible can truly become a helpful tool in your spiritual journey.
How do we live by faith? What do we do when we don’t know what to do? Ryan shared four simple steps to help and encourage us in our faith journey. We can step out in the confidence we have within our relationship with God because He is always with us.
Why do we sing? Singing at church could be thought about in three specific ways: upward, outward, and repeatedly. We sing upward from the heart to God with gratefulness. We sing together outwardly because we bless one another. Finally, we sing repetitively because we need repeated positive experiences that build up in our minds and hearts to carry with us. It’s all about the relational connection to God and to each other that pulls us together as a community.
Unlike the Greeks, we have one word for love and we use it for everything. Whether we love our family or our favorite sandwich, it’s the same word. Ryan walked us through the different words for love that the ancient Greeks used to help us understand what definition of love we mean when our updated mission says, “Loving people.” We want to be a church that seeks the good of someone else without our own agenda.
We limit ourselves if we all try to be the exact same type of Christian. Think of all the people we couldn’t relate to if we are all the same. Instead, if we are all exercising our freedom in Christ and living out of who God created us to be, God can use us in different and unique ways. It starts with you - stepping out in faith, partnering with God, and living out of who He is shaping you to be.
We revealed our updated mission “Loving people into the acceptance and freedom of Jesus Christ.” This week “acceptance” was the focus, which simply means that you have a place with us. Jesus lived out acceptance during his ministry. It is our role as His church to take that into our everyday lives. What do we mean by acceptance and how do we show that to those around us?
We firmly believe God has you. If God is the loving God we believe He is we can step out in faith and trust it. What would happen if we put the full weight of our trust in God this week?
Casas’ journey over the years has led us to not pursue life as religious rule followers. Instead, we desire a loving relationship with Jesus and bring as much of heaven to earth as possible. We trust the Holy Spirit to guide us as we are anchored in Christ’s love for us. We’re after something real with Jesus and we want others to experience that love too.
Glenn walked us through some of the practical history of Casas Church beginning in the 1960s to the present day. John 7 was instrumental in shaping where we come from and the beginning of who we are as a church. The story of Casas is your story too. Join us in trusting Jesus with the journey ahead.
It’s impossible to deny that trust in institutions has declined slowly since the 1970s. This can be attributed to key moments in our nation’s history. Additionally, people have less trust in religious institutions. Even in Exodus, we can see how easily people lost trust. What do we do with this? How can we change things for the better in our lives and in the lives of others?
This first Sunday of our new series is the beginning of a journey to learn more about the early church. Discover Casas' roots with us and learn more about our deeply held values. How can you know where you are now and what's important if you don't first familiarize yourself with the journey?
This week was the conclusion of our sermon series Baseline by looking at Galatians 6. We hope this series has been a blessing in your life!
In Galatians 5, Paul specifically tells us that we are “not under the law,” but that does not automatically give us a license to sin. If we are walking with the spirit then there is a way to pursue that is described in Chapter 5 as the fruit of the spirit. If we seek those principles first and live by them, it will become our way and it will positively affect our lives and relationships.
Embracing life with Christ means following the loving thing to do. If we pursue that in every situation - how can we go wrong? We need to get to know what Jesus has already said, reflect on what we know that we’re not living out, and actively love others as we love ourselves.
Paul addresses three distinct groups of Christians in Galatians who are all a part of the early church together, but come from vastly different backgrounds. What do we do with this tension in our own lives of differing perspectives on faith and spirituality? Paul reminds us once again to re-center our lives on Jesus, remember who Jesus says we are, and make our spiritual example to others in how we live our daily lives.
In Galatians, Paul addresses spiritual adulthood. What does it mean to be an adult spiritually? We have freedom in faith, but with freedom comes responsibility. That doesn’t mean we live under religious rules. If we do that, we will miss what spiritual adulthood is all about by relying on the law.
Occasionally, we might need to recenter our lives on the truth of the gospel. That the gospel (good news) is enough to center your life upon. If you want to recalibrate your life - center your life on Jesus. Trust that He is in you, with you, and for you. Rest in the knowledge that who you are is not dependent upon your reputation with others or your dependence on other people’s opinions of you - you’re in the best place you could possibly be - your life is secure in Him.
What is it to live as a follower of Christ? In Galatians, Paul sees how the early Christians will be living out their faith. How we understand the gospel is significant. The gospel isn’t just about how you get saved - it’s about how you live.
On this day we celebrated our ministry theme Better Together and all that it has meant for us to live this out in the community. We had the opportunity to hear from a multi-generational panel of individuals who have experienced Better Together in different, but meaningful ways. We celebrated all that God has done in us and through us and we carry that meaning forward as an essential part of our unity and purpose.
Currently, younger generations are more digitally connected than ever before, but surveys indicate they are feeling more disconnected. How do we, as a multi-generational church, work together to overcome that challenge? Not one generation needs to prove itself to have a place with us. It takes sacrifice and compromise to reach multi-generational common ground, but we have so much to gain from that pursuit. We don’t love others so that they love us back. We love everyone and what them to belong because that’s the example that Jesus set for us.
Every generation has a different view on life with unique cares and concerns. Each generation is also doing the best they can with what they’ve experienced during their formative years. If we all remember that in the end, we all desire peace - we will be stronger, more unified, and have a greater understanding of each other.
It’s undeniable that generational differences exist, but it doesn’t have to remain a hindrance. Being a multi-generational church is one of our strengths. Every generation brings something valuable to the table. How do we recognize each other’s strengths and values without feeling as if we lost something along the way? The early church faced similar challenges and also presents us with a solution when faced with different viewpoints.
Religion only ends up weighing us down. When we lay down the burdens that we’re carrying around that weigh heavy on us - we will realize Jesus was with us all along. He’s finished things for us already. We don’t have to make our way to God because He makes his way to us through Jesus.
Jesus didn’t arrive in Jerusalem to be the great conqueror that the Jewish people had long hoped for, but he did arrive to change where people placed their hope. The temple was the center of Jewish life and Jesus arrived to change the focus from a place empty of true relationship to Himself. Religion can only take you so far. A relationship grows with you and only strengthens you spiritually.
Do you ever have moments where you feel something weighing on you? We can overcome that by seeking and trusting the power of Christ around us, but also how it works within us. We can engage this idea by asking questions through prayer. If we continue on this path and practice, becoming more vulnerable and honest, we’ll be able to ask: “Change it and change me.”
When we think about Jesus being fully God and fully man we often fill in the gaps of our knowledge about God with our own concerns, worries, and issues. However, If we look at Jesus - we know who God is and we don’t have to attempt to figure it out on our own. We can trust that the person of Jesus we see in scripture and are transformed by is also the God who loves us.
What is the relationship between the fear of God and the love of God? What do I do with the fear of God? How does it relate to the idea of the love of God?
As followers of Christ, we often want to live in the choices framed as clear good vs. bad. However, if that’s the place we exist in, we can miss the opportunity of what a relationship with God offers when we’re Christ-centered. Spiritual maturity comes with trusting the place we have as God’s children, looking for Jesus in everyday situations, and asking what our own hearts are telling us.
Throughout this series, we've been looking at parables that Jesus uses to illustrate what the kingdom of God is like. Within each, we gain an understanding of what it's like to be in a relationship with God. In this final week, we explore why the kingdom of God is generous, but not necessarily fair.
How do we get past being defined by what we're saved from? There are two parables in Matthew where Jesus further describes what the kingdom of God is like. It's a treasure that is worth seeking, but how do we embrace it without letting go of what we're saved from and stepping into what we're saved to?
The way to be relationally right with God is by trusting Him and having faith. This means letting go and allowing the power of God to work in us from within. The kingdom of God means reaching past following religious law and instead pursuing planting the kingdom of God in our hearts. This allows us to flourish and also nurture others in the process.
The anger of Jesus is consistently in response to moments that religion pushes others away. Jesus chose to use His anger to make space for those who want to be close to Him. In this life, we're going to get angry, but is it being used for separation or are we using that energy towards restoration?
You can get so used to expecting to something to be one way, that you don’t notice when it’s different.
Negativity Bias: The tendency not only to register negative stimuli more readily but also to dwell on these events.
Cultivating spiritual growth. (I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.)
In history healthcare has always been a thing. Care for the wounded on the battlefield. Temples dedicated to healing. The Greeks and Romans made a lot of innovations in healthcare. But it was focused on those in your immediate circle.
When it comes to those major Decision in life, (not moral) Seeking God’s will. Choose as one who is free to choose.
Thinking about our conversation, and thinking about moms.
It’s possible to accidently take Mother’s Day and put pressure on moms. If we over focus on the extraordinary feats and sacrifices of remarkable mom’s – It can leave moms with the expectation of what they must live up to.
Encouragement can turn a difficult situation into one that fills you feel energy and gratefulness.
It’s easy to neglect your soul, when you think of yourself as having a poor spiritual signal.
Easter is about celebrating the hope we in Jesus, not because of his words… But His actions of love and life.
Courage is the choice to stand in the face of adversity and to do or to speak what our heart most desires.
When you’re anchored into the Kingdom of God, you see past the world’s labels and you see people.
No matter how disconnected you may feel, the person that God has created and shaped to live and do beautiful things is still there.
God is still painting & sculpting exquisite works even in this season, I want you have room to grasp it.
No matter how big the problem is or how small you may feel, it is amazing what someone can step into when they trust that God is with them.
When the Kingdom of God appears small, it may actually be doing the unexpected.
Is the Kingdom of Heaven growing and moving in unexpected ways in your life right now?
Sometimes, the Kingdom of Heaven grows and transforms over time.
Trust that the Kingdom of God is present and is growing.
What do you do when the little bit you have feels like it’s not enough? Trust God and do something with the little bit you have.
Four gratitude practices: 1. Have a gratitude journal 2. Give voice to your gratitude 3. Meditate on God's goodness 4. Express gratitude tangibly
We don't choose peace because it's probable. We choose peace because we want to live with the heart and mind of Jesus.
Genuine love seeks to understand one another and makes room for unity of common purpose despite our differences.
Joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction, Faithful in Prayer. In order to be a person who genuinely loves others, you first have to be a person who can.
What if right now, real love is getting really lost? What if the church is supposed to point the way forward?
Step out of your kingdom for just a moment, and more often then not you will find a whole new set of understanding.
A candid conversation how "tilling the soil" with one another helps bring matters to the surface in order to address issues of race and injustice.
Part 2 of the Series Upside Down Ways Of God. It’s easy to miss the good that God gives each of us when we become focused on what we don’t have and begin determining our value by comparing ourselves to others.
New Series: Part 1 of Upside Down Ways Of God. Centering yourself back to love - be grounded in love. Let it be what guides your actions, moves you forward. Let this be the things that lasts. Be empowered.
Happy Mother's Day: Glenn Barteau Interviews 3 mothers and Stacie Bartels shares a story about her mother.
Tether Part 3 Do the next good thing that God puts in front of you. The audio for the Kid City Segment is missing at the start.
Forth Week Of This Is Us. When we let go of the need to agree, we can accept the person on the other side of the conversation.
Third Week Of This Is Us. At Casas, we have come to view sin as a symptom of a deeper problem.
We continue our new sermon series Living Questions. We talk about what it means to known by Christ.
We kickoff our new sermon series Living Questions. We talk about what it means to know who you are through Christ