The Block KC: Recent Episodes
The Block KC Podcast
The Block KC exists to help young adults build their lives on what counts. 20s and 30 somethings--Join us every other Thursday at 7 to hear a talk about God and His Word, and to connect and reflect on what it means to follow Jesus. theblockkansascity.com
t forget our Saturday night service opportunity. We worship every Saturday night at 5 pm. We also now offer an 8 am service on Sunday mornings to go along with our 9:30 am and 11:00 am services. Join us at one of our many service opportunities as we worship the Lord through song and the study of His Word.
t forget our Saturday night service opportunity. We worship every Saturday night at 5 pm. We also now offer an 8 am service on Sunday mornings to go along with our 9:30 am and 11:00 am services. Join us at one of our many service opportunities as we worship the Lord through song and the study of His Word.
s heart, you need to listen to them pray. Jesus invites you and me into His prayer so that we will know with certainty what is on His heart. What we will discover in this study is that you are on His heart. Jesus loves you so much that He died for you. He prayed for you as the hour came for Him to be crucified, and He is praying for you even now.Join us as we embark on this study throughout the month of July. Be in prayer that you will grow closer in your relationship with Jesus. Read John 17 repeatedly for your own encouragement and perhaps even memorize it. Invite a friend to join with you at any of our services or campuses. Pray boldly that Jesus will be glorified in your life, in the life of our church, and in the lives of those who have yet to believe.
s heart, you need to listen to them pray. Jesus invites you and me into His prayer so that we will know with certainty what is on His heart. What we will discover in this study is that you are on His heart. Jesus loves you so much that He died for you. He prayed for you as the hour came for Him to be crucified, and He is praying for you even now.Join us as we embark on this study throughout the month of July. Be in prayer that you will grow closer in your relationship with Jesus. Read John 17 repeatedly for your own encouragement and perhaps even memorize it. Invite a friend to join with you at any of our services or campuses. Pray boldly that Jesus will be glorified in your life, in the life of our church, and in the lives of those who have yet to believe.
s presence, far from being something he wants to escape, is the very security of his life. This is not a man who is fleeing from God in disobedience but a man who is running to God for security in a difficult and anxious moment. Where do you turn when things get difficult? Where do you look when anxious thoughts enter your mind? I pray you will join us this weekend as the psalmist shows us the beauty of turning to God as the One who knows us completely, is with us continually, and made us perfectly.This weekend we will also take time to honor and recognize our first responders, military service members, and veterans. This is always a very special service for our church family, and I pray that you will invite a friend to join us as we worship King Jesus.In Christ,Pastor Chad
s presence, far from being something he wants to escape, is the very security of his life. This is not a man who is fleeing from God in disobedience but a man who is running to God for security in a difficult and anxious moment. Where do you turn when things get difficult? Where do you look when anxious thoughts enter your mind? I pray you will join us this weekend as the psalmist shows us the beauty of turning to God as the One who knows us completely, is with us continually, and made us perfectly.This weekend we will also take time to honor and recognize our first responders, military service members, and veterans. This is always a very special service for our church family, and I pray that you will invite a friend to join us as we worship King Jesus.In Christ,Pastor Chad
s presence and protection to guide him along the way (Psalm 121). He thinks back on the call to go home to Jerusalem and worship with the nation. Now, in Psalm 122, he arrives. His feet are standing within the gates.The experience that David describes has practical application for our lives and our corporate worship. I pray that you will join us this weekend as we continue to join the pilgrim on his journey home.In Christ,Pastor Chad
s presence and protection to guide him along the way (Psalm 121). He thinks back on the call to go home to Jerusalem and worship with the nation. Now, in Psalm 122, he arrives. His feet are standing within the gates.The experience that David describes has practical application for our lives and our corporate worship. I pray that you will join us this weekend as we continue to join the pilgrim on his journey home.In Christ,Pastor Chad
s people as we gather around the Word to worship Him and hear His voice. In Christ,Pastor Chad
s people as we gather around the Word to worship Him and hear His voice. In Christ,Pastor Chad
You will also have the chance to hear from a special guest and learn more about one of our primary missions partnerships. Make plans today to join us this weekend.In Christ,Pastor Chad
You will also have the chance to hear from a special guest and learn more about one of our primary missions partnerships. Make plans today to join us this weekend.In Christ,Pastor Chad
for the nation. These psalms were sung as the people made their way up to Jerusalem, and this first psalm was a song that demonstrated their longing to return to Zion. In this psalm, we will see that the psalmist is homesick. He has spent too much time in the world, and he wants to go home. You have probably been there, too. There have been times when you have probably been homesick, geographically or spiritually. I pray you will join us this weekend as we begin our ascent with the psalmist, and as we turn our attention to our heavenly home.In Christ,Pastor Chad
for the nation. These psalms were sung as the people made their way up to Jerusalem, and this first psalm was a song that demonstrated their longing to return to Zion. In this psalm, we will see that the psalmist is homesick. He has spent too much time in the world, and he wants to go home. You have probably been there, too. There have been times when you have probably been homesick, geographically or spiritually. I pray you will join us this weekend as we begin our ascent with the psalmist, and as we turn our attention to our heavenly home.In Christ,Pastor Chad
Psalm 120, 121, 122, 127, 130, and finally 139. Read ahead and prepare your heart for worship. See you this weekend! In Christ,Pastor Chad
Psalm 120, 121, 122, 127, 130, and finally 139. Read ahead and prepare your heart for worship. See you this weekend! In Christ,Pastor Chad
s lovingkindness and grace.I pray that you will join us this weekend for worship as we spend time with the Lord as a corporate body of believers. Join me in praying that God would move in our worship and, most importantly, in our hearts so that we are drawn closer to Him. Pray that the Spirit of God would penetrate lost hearts so that they might come to know the joy and peace that we have found in Christ.In Christ,Pastor Chad
s lovingkindness and grace.I pray that you will join us this weekend for worship as we spend time with the Lord as a corporate body of believers. Join me in praying that God would move in our worship and, most importantly, in our hearts so that we are drawn closer to Him. Pray that the Spirit of God would penetrate lost hearts so that they might come to know the joy and peace that we have found in Christ.In Christ,Pastor Chad
I pray that you would join us this weekend as we walk through this psalm and seek to discover more about this kind of thristing after God.In Christ,Pastor Chad
I pray that you would join us this weekend as we walk through this psalm and seek to discover more about this kind of thristing after God.In Christ,Pastor Chad
t forget our 8 am worship service on Sunday mornings and our 5 pm service on Saturday night. Whichever service you attend, I look forward to seeing you this weekend.In Christ,Pastor Chad
t forget our 8 am worship service on Sunday mornings and our 5 pm service on Saturday night. Whichever service you attend, I look forward to seeing you this weekend.In Christ,Pastor Chad
t forget our new 8 am worship service and our Saturday night service opportunity. I look forward to seeing you at church.In Christ,Pastor Chad
t forget our new 8 am worship service and our Saturday night service opportunity. I look forward to seeing you at church.In Christ,Pastor Chad
April 12th, 2026Pastor Chad McDonaldIn January 2003, a young man named Terry Drier was in the water twenty hours after his boat had capsized. He gave a valiant effort at survival, although he later confessed he felt certain that he was going to die. After a long while, a helicopter located him and sent word to a ship on its way to the Persian Gulf. The name of the ship was the USS Comforter. This vessel was on its way to do battle and paused to deliver one man. They went out of their way to save one man, and there was a doctor on board who nursed him back to health. Some of you may feel as though you are treading water, and you are not sure how much longer you can hang in there. This weekend, as we turn our attention to Psalm 40, we are reminded of our Deliverer who is always hovering nearby. The God of all comfort will make sure that the comfort we need comes our way.In Christ,Pastor Chad
April 12th, 2026Pastor Chad McDonaldIn January 2003, a young man named Terry Drier was in the water twenty hours after his boat had capsized. He gave a valiant effort at survival, although he later confessed he felt certain that he was going to die. After a long while, a helicopter located him and sent word to a ship on its way to the Persian Gulf. The name of the ship was the USS Comforter. This vessel was on its way to do battle and paused to deliver one man. They went out of their way to save one man, and there was a doctor on board who nursed him back to health. Some of you may feel as though you are treading water, and you are not sure how much longer you can hang in there. This weekend, as we turn our attention to Psalm 40, we are reminded of our Deliverer who is always hovering nearby. The God of all comfort will make sure that the comfort we need comes our way.In Christ,Pastor Chad
April 5th, 2026Pastor Chad McDonaldImagine a young student in graduate school. He knows Christ and is seeking to follow Christ and honor him in a secular, humanistic, educational environment. While he remains faithful to the Word and the gospel, he is overlooked while the accolades and recognitions go to the one who denies the gospel, God, and the Word. That is tough, but that is often the Christian life. We walk with God in faithfulness, and we sow to the Spirit and often our acts of righteousness are not immediately rewarded.On the other hand, the acts of unrighteousness and sin often face no immediate judgment. More simply, the faithful seem to suffer and the immoral and wicked seem to prosper. It is a dilemma for the believer that we all face. David faced it. He had been anointed by God. God had promised that he would be king. He walked in faithfulness, and life often got more difficult. King Saul walked in unfaithfulness, was disobedient to God, and even consulted witches, and it often appeared as though God never even noticed. Is that frustrating?When you walk with God in faithfulness, and there are no immediate rewards or recompense, and the wicked and immoral flourish, how do we respond? How do we move forward and avoid anger and bitterness?This weekend we will learn from one who had been there and was inspired by God to write Psalm 37. How do the righteous respond to the prosperity of the wicked? I pray that you will join us this Palm Sunday weekend as we worship our Savior in song and the study of His Word.In Christ,Pastor Chad
April 5th, 2026Pastor Chad McDonaldImagine a young student in graduate school. He knows Christ and is seeking to follow Christ and honor him in a secular, humanistic, educational environment. While he remains faithful to the Word and the gospel, he is overlooked while the accolades and recognitions go to the one who denies the gospel, God, and the Word. That is tough, but that is often the Christian life. We walk with God in faithfulness, and we sow to the Spirit and often our acts of righteousness are not immediately rewarded.On the other hand, the acts of unrighteousness and sin often face no immediate judgment. More simply, the faithful seem to suffer and the immoral and wicked seem to prosper. It is a dilemma for the believer that we all face. David faced it. He had been anointed by God. God had promised that he would be king. He walked in faithfulness, and life often got more difficult. King Saul walked in unfaithfulness, was disobedient to God, and even consulted witches, and it often appeared as though God never even noticed. Is that frustrating?When you walk with God in faithfulness, and there are no immediate rewards or recompense, and the wicked and immoral flourish, how do we respond? How do we move forward and avoid anger and bitterness?This weekend we will learn from one who had been there and was inspired by God to write Psalm 37. How do the righteous respond to the prosperity of the wicked? I pray that you will join us this Palm Sunday weekend as we worship our Savior in song and the study of His Word.In Christ,Pastor Chad
March 29th, 2026Pastor Chad McDonaldImagine a young student in graduate school. He knows Christ and is seeking to follow Christ and honor him in a secular, humanistic, educational environment. While he remains faithful to the Word and the gospel, he is overlooked while the accolades and recognitions go to the one who denies the gospel, God, and the Word. That is tough, but that is often the Christian life. We walk with God in faithfulness, and we sow to the Spirit and often our acts of righteousness are not immediately rewarded.On the other hand, the acts of unrighteousness and sin often face no immediate judgment. More simply, the faithful seem to suffer and the immoral and wicked seem to prosper. It is a dilemma for the believer that we all face. David faced it. He had been anointed by God. God had promised that he would be king. He walked in faithfulness, and life often got more difficult. King Saul walked in unfaithfulness, was disobedient to God, and even consulted witches, and it often appeared as though God never even noticed. Is that frustrating?When you walk with God in faithfulness, and there are no immediate rewards or recompense, and the wicked and immoral flourish, how do we respond? How do we move forward and avoid anger and bitterness?This weekend we will learn from one who had been there and was inspired by God to write Psalm 37. How do the righteous respond to the prosperity of the wicked? I pray that you will join us this Palm Sunday weekend as we worship our Savior in song and the study of His Word.In Christ,Pastor Chad
March 29th, 2026Pastor Chad McDonaldImagine a young student in graduate school. He knows Christ and is seeking to follow Christ and honor him in a secular, humanistic, educational environment. While he remains faithful to the Word and the gospel, he is overlooked while the accolades and recognitions go to the one who denies the gospel, God, and the Word. That is tough, but that is often the Christian life. We walk with God in faithfulness, and we sow to the Spirit and often our acts of righteousness are not immediately rewarded.On the other hand, the acts of unrighteousness and sin often face no immediate judgment. More simply, the faithful seem to suffer and the immoral and wicked seem to prosper. It is a dilemma for the believer that we all face. David faced it. He had been anointed by God. God had promised that he would be king. He walked in faithfulness, and life often got more difficult. King Saul walked in unfaithfulness, was disobedient to God, and even consulted witches, and it often appeared as though God never even noticed. Is that frustrating?When you walk with God in faithfulness, and there are no immediate rewards or recompense, and the wicked and immoral flourish, how do we respond? How do we move forward and avoid anger and bitterness?This weekend we will learn from one who had been there and was inspired by God to write Psalm 37. How do the righteous respond to the prosperity of the wicked? I pray that you will join us this Palm Sunday weekend as we worship our Savior in song and the study of His Word.In Christ,Pastor Chad
s problem was much bigger than what he stated. Water in the carburetor was just the tip of the iceberg. The fact of the matter is, we are more messed up than we are often willing to admit. We may only admit to some water in the carburetor when our whole life is in the pool. The first half of Psalm 36 gives us a clear presentation of the estate of man. We are guilty and we are without excuse. We may be able to dress up our lives and talk a good game, but we are all guilty. We all stand condemned before God. We all stand in absolute need of Jesus. The ground at the foot of the cross is level. The second half of the psalm gives us reason for hope. Not in ourselves but in the lovingkindness and faithfulness of God.I pray that you will make plans today to join us for worship. Church is not a hotel for saints. It is a hospital for sinners. So, whether you just have some water in the carburetor or your life is in the pool, I will pray that you will join us as we turn our attention to the great physician, King Jesus.
s problem was much bigger than what he stated. Water in the carburetor was just the tip of the iceberg. The fact of the matter is, we are more messed up than we are often willing to admit. We may only admit to some water in the carburetor when our whole life is in the pool. The first half of Psalm 36 gives us a clear presentation of the estate of man. We are guilty and we are without excuse. We may be able to dress up our lives and talk a good game, but we are all guilty. We all stand condemned before God. We all stand in absolute need of Jesus. The ground at the foot of the cross is level. The second half of the psalm gives us reason for hope. Not in ourselves but in the lovingkindness and faithfulness of God.I pray that you will make plans today to join us for worship. Church is not a hotel for saints. It is a hospital for sinners. So, whether you just have some water in the carburetor or your life is in the pool, I will pray that you will join us as we turn our attention to the great physician, King Jesus.
s earnest prayer is an example for us to follow as we face down our own enemies. Psalm 27 is a well-known passage that has much to say about our fearless trust in God! Make plans now to attend one of our services this weekend.
s earnest prayer is an example for us to follow as we face down our own enemies. Psalm 27 is a well-known passage that has much to say about our fearless trust in God! Make plans now to attend one of our services this weekend.
s Word be the great joy and love of your Life? Come join us this week and take a journey of discovering the redeeming qualities of the Word of God. You will not be disappointed.
s Word be the great joy and love of your Life? Come join us this week and take a journey of discovering the redeeming qualities of the Word of God. You will not be disappointed.
s word challenges us to see the creation and give honor to the Creator of all things.Join us this weekend.
s word challenges us to see the creation and give honor to the Creator of all things.Join us this weekend.
January 11th, 2026 Pastor Chad McDonaldChristianity is not simply the accumulation of knowledge. It is the transformation of our lives into the image of Christ and then transferring what we have come to know and experience to others. It is the passion of Christ because it is the passion of the Father. It should be our passion. It is our mission. The work of Christ and the gospel is not left to the trained professionals. It is something that God has called us to do. It is helping men and women realize both their full potential and great joy in serving the Lord. It is not sitting in the stands. It is getting into the game.At the beginning of each year we take time to remember and refocus ourselves on the mission given to us by Christ. Just like any organization, the church is prone to mission drift. I pray that you will join us this weekend as we refocus and recalibrate our lives upon the Great Commission.In Christ,Pastor Chad
January 11th, 2026 Pastor Chad McDonaldChristianity is not simply the accumulation of knowledge. It is the transformation of our lives into the image of Christ and then transferring what we have come to know and experience to others. It is the passion of Christ because it is the passion of the Father. It should be our passion. It is our mission. The work of Christ and the gospel is not left to the trained professionals. It is something that God has called us to do. It is helping men and women realize both their full potential and great joy in serving the Lord. It is not sitting in the stands. It is getting into the game.At the beginning of each year we take time to remember and refocus ourselves on the mission given to us by Christ. Just like any organization, the church is prone to mission drift. I pray that you will join us this weekend as we refocus and recalibrate our lives upon the Great Commission.In Christ,Pastor Chad
What is the appropriate response to Christmas? At its heart, Christmas is the grace of God appearing in flesh to die and defeat death for us so that we might have salvation through faith. What is the application of such a divine truth that has penetrated our hearts? The appropriate response is faith. But what exactly does that look like in our everyday lives? I hope you will make plans today to join us for one of our many worship opportunities this weekend.In Christ,Pastor Chad
What is the appropriate response to Christmas? At its heart, Christmas is the grace of God appearing in flesh to die and defeat death for us so that we might have salvation through faith. What is the application of such a divine truth that has penetrated our hearts? The appropriate response is faith. But what exactly does that look like in our everyday lives? I hope you will make plans today to join us for one of our many worship opportunities this weekend.In Christ,Pastor Chad
s gospel.We also have some special guests with us this weekend. One of our longtime missionary partners will be with us as we will have the opportunity to present them with a special gift. It is going to be a special weekend of worship. Make plans today to join us!In Christ,Pastor Chad
s gospel.We also have some special guests with us this weekend. One of our longtime missionary partners will be with us as we will have the opportunity to present them with a special gift. It is going to be a special weekend of worship. Make plans today to join us!In Christ,Pastor Chad
s Messiah.I pray that you will join us. It is going to be a very special weekend. Saturday we have performances of Kansas City Christmas at 1 and 5 pm. The 5 pm service will replace our normal Saturday night service. We will have another performance Sunday night at 5 pm. I pray that you will join us for worship as we look to the King of kings and Lord of all lords and invite men and women to know the peace, joy, and forgiveness that only He can bring.In Christ,Pastor Chad
s Messiah.I pray that you will join us. It is going to be a very special weekend. Saturday we have performances of Kansas City Christmas at 1 and 5 pm. The 5 pm service will replace our normal Saturday night service. We will have another performance Sunday night at 5 pm. I pray that you will join us for worship as we look to the King of kings and Lord of all lords and invite men and women to know the peace, joy, and forgiveness that only He can bring.In Christ,Pastor Chad
no matter the circumstances.On this Thanksgiving weekend, I pray that you will join us as we praise and celebrate the greatness of our God. He is the God who has accomplished salvation for us and fills us with a heart of gratitude in Christ that overwhelms even the darkest circumstances of life. Make the decision today to worship with us this weekend as we celebrate the greatness of God. In Christ,Pastor Chad
no matter the circumstances.On this Thanksgiving weekend, I pray that you will join us as we praise and celebrate the greatness of our God. He is the God who has accomplished salvation for us and fills us with a heart of gratitude in Christ that overwhelms even the darkest circumstances of life. Make the decision today to worship with us this weekend as we celebrate the greatness of God. In Christ,Pastor Chad
s redemptive purposes and promises in the Old Testament. We will take a deeper look at 2 Samuel 7 and the Covenant that God made with David. What God promised to David is relevant for our lives today.Remember, weekend worship is a Friday decision. Make the decision today and invite a friend to join us as we worship our Savior, the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, the root of David: Jesus Christ. In Christ,Pastor Chad
s redemptive purposes and promises in the Old Testament. We will take a deeper look at 2 Samuel 7 and the Covenant that God made with David. What God promised to David is relevant for our lives today.Remember, weekend worship is a Friday decision. Make the decision today and invite a friend to join us as we worship our Savior, the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, the root of David: Jesus Christ. In Christ,Pastor Chad
s salvation promises and purposes in the Old Testament. We worship every Saturday night at 5 pm and Sunday morning at both 9:30 and 11:00 am.I encourage you to invite a friend, a neighbor or a co-worker. Experience and statistics tell us that most people would attend church if they were invited. Be a bringer! Come to church and bring someone with you as we worship our Savior through song and the study of His Word.In Christ,Pastor Chad
s salvation promises and purposes in the Old Testament. We worship every Saturday night at 5 pm and Sunday morning at both 9:30 and 11:00 am.I encourage you to invite a friend, a neighbor or a co-worker. Experience and statistics tell us that most people would attend church if they were invited. Be a bringer! Come to church and bring someone with you as we worship our Savior through song and the study of His Word.In Christ,Pastor Chad
s to come, showing us that He Himself would one day provide the ultimate sacrifice. What Abraham experienced in shadow, we now see in full light through Jesus. He is the Lamb who was given so we could live.
s to come, showing us that He Himself would one day provide the ultimate sacrifice. What Abraham experienced in shadow, we now see in full light through Jesus. He is the Lamb who was given so we could live.
Discover the first promise of salvation in human history found in Genesis 3:15. This biblical prophecy reveals God's incredible plan of redemption that began in the Garden of Eden and culminated in Jesus Christ. Learn about the fall of man, Satan's deception tactics, and how sin brought brokenness into the world. Explore the immediate consequences Adam and Eve faced after their disobedience and how God responded with mercy instead of abandonment. Understand the significance of the protoevangelium - the first gospel promise - and how it points directly to Christ's victory over Satan through the cross. This message examines the spiritual warfare between good and evil, the lineage leading to the Messiah, and why sacrifice was necessary for salvation. Perfect for anyone seeking to understand biblical prophecy, the problem of sin, God's plan of salvation, or how Old Testament promises connect to New Testament fulfillment. Whether you're studying Genesis, exploring messianic prophecies, or looking for hope in difficult times, this content provides biblical answers about God's love, mercy, and provision for humanity's greatest need. Topics covered include the nature of temptation, consequences of disobedience, God's pursuit of sinners, the promise of a coming Savior, and practical application for modern believers seeking redemption and restoration.
Discover the first promise of salvation in human history found in Genesis 3:15. This biblical prophecy reveals God's incredible plan of redemption that began in the Garden of Eden and culminated in Jesus Christ. Learn about the fall of man, Satan's deception tactics, and how sin brought brokenness into the world. Explore the immediate consequences Adam and Eve faced after their disobedience and how God responded with mercy instead of abandonment. Understand the significance of the protoevangelium - the first gospel promise - and how it points directly to Christ's victory over Satan through the cross. This message examines the spiritual warfare between good and evil, the lineage leading to the Messiah, and why sacrifice was necessary for salvation. Perfect for anyone seeking to understand biblical prophecy, the problem of sin, God's plan of salvation, or how Old Testament promises connect to New Testament fulfillment. Whether you're studying Genesis, exploring messianic prophecies, or looking for hope in difficult times, this content provides biblical answers about God's love, mercy, and provision for humanity's greatest need. Topics covered include the nature of temptation, consequences of disobedience, God's pursuit of sinners, the promise of a coming Savior, and practical application for modern believers seeking redemption and restoration.
s purpose in this letter. His focus and purpose have been to destroy all self-sufficiency and to fix our eyes on the sufficiency, glory, majesty, and wisdom of the great God who in Christ Jesus has brought about such a great and glorious salvation.Please make plans to join us for this conclusion in Romans. I pray that the gospel would go forth in simplicity and power. This would be a great weekend to invite a friend, neighbor, or co-worker. Be a bringer! Bring someone with you as we worship together. Prayerfully, whomever you bring will catch a glimpse of the glory of God and be drawn to Christ. See you this weekend!In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
s purpose in this letter. His focus and purpose have been to destroy all self-sufficiency and to fix our eyes on the sufficiency, glory, majesty, and wisdom of the great God who in Christ Jesus has brought about such a great and glorious salvation.Please make plans to join us for this conclusion in Romans. I pray that the gospel would go forth in simplicity and power. This would be a great weekend to invite a friend, neighbor, or co-worker. Be a bringer! Bring someone with you as we worship together. Prayerfully, whomever you bring will catch a glimpse of the glory of God and be drawn to Christ. See you this weekend!In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
Paul has spent 16 chapters outlining the grace of God in the gospel of Christ. He clearly knows that he is at the end of the letter. But then, out of left field, he gives a stern warning. At first glance, it appears to be out of place and a very puzzling way to conclude the letter. Yet for Paul, it appears there has been a concern for the Roman believers that has been lingering underneath the surface and explodes here at the end.Paul has a deep pastoral concern that false teachers might defraud them spiritually. The specific nature and teaching of these false teachers is not clear. Paul, however, does set forth some clear principles that are incredibly important for us as we seek to protect ourselves from the dangers of false teachers who might seek to defraud us of our spiritual birthright. These are incredibly practical verses for our lives and for our church.We only have two more weeks in Romans. I pray you will make every effort as we run to the finish in the study of this Romans. I hope to see you this weekend. In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
Paul has spent 16 chapters outlining the grace of God in the gospel of Christ. He clearly knows that he is at the end of the letter. But then, out of left field, he gives a stern warning. At first glance, it appears to be out of place and a very puzzling way to conclude the letter. Yet for Paul, it appears there has been a concern for the Roman believers that has been lingering underneath the surface and explodes here at the end.Paul has a deep pastoral concern that false teachers might defraud them spiritually. The specific nature and teaching of these false teachers is not clear. Paul, however, does set forth some clear principles that are incredibly important for us as we seek to protect ourselves from the dangers of false teachers who might seek to defraud us of our spiritual birthright. These are incredibly practical verses for our lives and for our church.We only have two more weeks in Romans. I pray you will make every effort as we run to the finish in the study of this Romans. I hope to see you this weekend. In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
At the end of Romans 15, Paul offers four short verses on the need for prayer. In a section on the priesthood of the believer and worldwide missions, it would only make sense for Paul to conclude on prayer. Prayer is how the work of God is done. Just because God tells us to do something does not mean that we can accomplish it on our own. The command and call of God drive us to our knees where God supernaturally provides us with the strength and resources to do what we cannot do on our own.Christianity is going into a world system that is dominated by the prince of the power of the air. Christianity calls us to a people who are spoken of as deaf and dead and enemies of Christ. Do we really think that we are going to cognitively talk them out of their lostness and into the Lordship of Christ? Unless we have a means of calling on the sovereign God of all the universe, we will not accomplish anything.I pray you will join us this weekend as we inch closer to the end of Romans and discover the ability to tap into the power of God through prayer. We will also have the opportunity to participate in the ordinance of communion. I pray that you will make plans today to join us.In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
At the end of Romans 15, Paul offers four short verses on the need for prayer. In a section on the priesthood of the believer and worldwide missions, it would only make sense for Paul to conclude on prayer. Prayer is how the work of God is done. Just because God tells us to do something does not mean that we can accomplish it on our own. The command and call of God drive us to our knees where God supernaturally provides us with the strength and resources to do what we cannot do on our own.Christianity is going into a world system that is dominated by the prince of the power of the air. Christianity calls us to a people who are spoken of as deaf and dead and enemies of Christ. Do we really think that we are going to cognitively talk them out of their lostness and into the Lordship of Christ? Unless we have a means of calling on the sovereign God of all the universe, we will not accomplish anything.I pray you will join us this weekend as we inch closer to the end of Romans and discover the ability to tap into the power of God through prayer. We will also have the opportunity to participate in the ordinance of communion. I pray that you will make plans today to join us.In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
s Word and a heart to give and serve others. We all need Christ, and we all need each other. I hope to see you this weekend.In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
s Word and a heart to give and serve others. We all need Christ, and we all need each other. I hope to see you this weekend.In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
s take our lives, lay them down into His hands and ask Him to use us for His glory.I look forward to seeing all of you this weekend. Make the decision today. Remember, weekend worship is a Friday decision.In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
s take our lives, lay them down into His hands and ask Him to use us for His glory.I look forward to seeing all of you this weekend. Make the decision today. Remember, weekend worship is a Friday decision.In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
I look forward to seeing you this weekend as we continue and near the end of our study in Romans. This weekend we will also participate in the ordinance of communion and remember the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I pray you will make the decision today to join us for one of our many weekend worship opportunities. In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
I look forward to seeing you this weekend as we continue and near the end of our study in Romans. This weekend we will also participate in the ordinance of communion and remember the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I pray you will make the decision today to join us for one of our many weekend worship opportunities. In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
t govern our lives. Our love for God and our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ governs our lives.I pray that you will join us this weekend as we walk through Romans 14.13-23. These are very practical verses that are critical to our unity in the body and our witness to the world. I hope to see you at one of our many worship opportunities.In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
t govern our lives. Our love for God and our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ governs our lives.I pray that you will join us this weekend as we walk through Romans 14.13-23. These are very practical verses that are critical to our unity in the body and our witness to the world. I hope to see you at one of our many worship opportunities.In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
Romans 14 appears to be a bit out of place. Paul has been addressing how the fountain of the gospel flows outwardly into all the areas of our lives. At the end of chapter 13, he addresses how the gospel impacts our relationship to our neighbors. In chapter 15, Paul will talk about taking the gospel to Spain. He addresses local missions and then international missions.In between local missions and international missions, Paul confronts an apparent conflict related to eating certain foods and observing certain days. What does this issue have to do with missions? Paul knows that a church in conflict loses credibility in sharing a message of reconciliation with the world. We cannot peddle unapplied truth. If we are going to preach reconciliation to the world, we need to demonstrate it in the church. And while we may not have disagreements over certain foods and observing certain days, the church today has its own issues that can quickly create conflict and nullify our witness. How should we deal with these issues? Not issues of doctrine or morality but areas of personal conviction that are not clearly revealed in Scripture. This is a critical, relevant and practical text.I pray that you will make plans to join us as we gather around the Word of God and adjust our lives to His truth that we might glorify Him and love our neighbor.In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
Romans 14 appears to be a bit out of place. Paul has been addressing how the fountain of the gospel flows outwardly into all the areas of our lives. At the end of chapter 13, he addresses how the gospel impacts our relationship to our neighbors. In chapter 15, Paul will talk about taking the gospel to Spain. He addresses local missions and then international missions.In between local missions and international missions, Paul confronts an apparent conflict related to eating certain foods and observing certain days. What does this issue have to do with missions? Paul knows that a church in conflict loses credibility in sharing a message of reconciliation with the world. We cannot peddle unapplied truth. If we are going to preach reconciliation to the world, we need to demonstrate it in the church. And while we may not have disagreements over certain foods and observing certain days, the church today has its own issues that can quickly create conflict and nullify our witness. How should we deal with these issues? Not issues of doctrine or morality but areas of personal conviction that are not clearly revealed in Scripture. This is a critical, relevant and practical text.I pray that you will make plans to join us as we gather around the Word of God and adjust our lives to His truth that we might glorify Him and love our neighbor.In Christ,Pastor Chad McDonald
In the gospels, there are many times where Jesus gives an open invite to "whoever" or "anyone" who would accept his invitation, his way. Listen here for Jesus invitation to obey annd see.
In the gospels, there are many times where Jesus gives an open invite to "whoever" or "anyone" who would accept his invitation, his way. Listen here for Jesus' invitation, "Dine with me".
In the gospels, there are many times where Jesus gives an open invite to "whoever" or "anyone" who would accept his invitation, his way. Listen here to Jesus invitation to Come and Drink.
Paul breaks forth in glorious worship as he comes to the end of this section where he examines and works through God’s dealings with Israel. He concludes his summary of the redemptive purposes of God among both Jews and Gentiles. Then, he worships. It is a picture of how deep God’s salvation had penetrated his soul.Prior to Christ, we picture Paul as a very constrained, narrow and unemotional man. Post-Christ, we find a man who has been stretched emotionally and breaks forth in joyful adoration and worship at the wonder and glory of God. This is the purpose of Bible study. The purpose of Bible study is not merely moral. The purpose of Bible study is not to simply to make you better. The purpose of Bible study is to bring you to a place of worship. You are meant to study and read so that you might truly know the God of all creation—the One who made you, who loves you, who saved you and who is coming again to reign. When you see Him as He is, your only response is to fall on your face in awe and cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty! Who is like the Lord our God?” True theology and Bible study should be followed by purity and morality but also by adoration and glory. As we have come to see in Romans again and again, the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.I pray you will join us this weekend as we study one of the most profound and wonderful passages in all of Romans. My prayer is that all of us, both believer and non-believer, would see and taste the glory of God and the joy and peace and grace that can only be found in Him.
Paul breaks forth in glorious worship as he comes to the end of this section where he examines and works through God’s dealings with Israel. He concludes his summary of the redemptive purposes of God among both Jews and Gentiles. Then, he worships. It is a picture of how deep God’s salvation had penetrated his soul.Prior to Christ, we picture Paul as a very constrained, narrow and unemotional man. Post-Christ, we find a man who has been stretched emotionally and breaks forth in joyful adoration and worship at the wonder and glory of God. This is the purpose of Bible study. The purpose of Bible study is not merely moral. The purpose of Bible study is not to simply to make you better. The purpose of Bible study is to bring you to a place of worship. You are meant to study and read so that you might truly know the God of all creation—the One who made you, who loves you, who saved you and who is coming again to reign. When you see Him as He is, your only response is to fall on your face in awe and cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty! Who is like the Lord our God?” True theology and Bible study should be followed by purity and morality but also by adoration and glory. As we have come to see in Romans again and again, the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.I pray you will join us this weekend as we study one of the most profound and wonderful passages in all of Romans. My prayer is that all of us, both believer and non-believer, would see and taste the glory of God and the joy and peace and grace that can only be found in Him.
So much of our evangelism training today centers around the skill or the art of initiating a gospel conversation with someone. How do I navigate the daily activities and conversations of life in such a way that open a door of opportunity for the gospel? This is so important, because it reminds us that our primary mission as we go into the world is to glorify God and to point others to Christ. As we live and interact with others in this world, we pray that we would see the opportunities that God gives us and the open doors that He provides for gospel conversations.Wouldn’t it be great, however, if the people around us were initiating gospel conversations with us, rather than us seeking to initiate conversations with them? What if our lives and the joy we have in Christ and the joy we find in fellowship with other believers were so unique and so extraordinary that those around began to experience a kind of jealousy towards us? What if the people around us, as they witnessed our lives, began to have a longing for eternal privileges that have come to us as a free gift in Christ? That is exactly Paul’s prayer for the Gentile believers in Rome. That their lives and fellowship and joy of salvation would create a kind of jealousy for spiritual things among the non-believing Jews. But this idea is predicated upon a foundational truth that we give them something spiritually in our lives that is worth being jealous of.I pray that you will join us this weekend as we continue to walk through Romans. Make plans now to join us in one of our many worship service opportunities both on Saturday and Sunday that we may experience the riches of God’s kindness in Christ Jesus, our Lord.— Pastor Chad McDonald
Man has a natural inclination to believe (if they believe in God) that God is gracious on the basis of something in them. This is our native disposition, even if converted and born again: that God is gracious to me because of something in me. At that point, however, we deny the graciousness of God. We begin to make contracts with God. If I do (fill in the blank), then God will be more gracious to me. And God is not gracious to others because of something in them. Paul says (this is my paraphrase), “That is not grace!” And he uncovers for us what I believe to be the most humbling and most wonderful of all truths in Scripture. That the only way of salvation is by grace. There is no other way. No other way in the Old Testament or the New Testament. I pray you will join us this weekend. In Romans 11 Paul continues to address God’s purposes with the nation of Israel, but as he does, he will draw out principles that are relevant to all of us. Make plans today to be part of one of our weekend services as we worship the God who “abounds in riches for all who will call upon Him.” — Pastor Chad McDonald
Man has a natural inclination to believe (if they believe in God) that God is gracious on the basis of something in them. This is our native disposition, even if converted and born again: that God is gracious to me because of something in me. At that point, however, we deny the graciousness of God. We begin to make contracts with God. If I do (fill in the blank), then God will be more gracious to me. And God is not gracious to others because of something in them. Paul says (this is my paraphrase), “That is not grace!” And he uncovers for us what I believe to be the most humbling and most wonderful of all truths in Scripture. That the only way of salvation is by grace. There is no other way. No other way in the Old Testament or the New Testament. I pray you will join us this weekend. In Romans 11 Paul continues to address God’s purposes with the nation of Israel, but as he does, he will draw out principles that are relevant to all of us. Make plans today to be part of one of our weekend services as we worship the God who “abounds in riches for all who will call upon Him.” — Pastor Chad McDonald
A bishop who served at Princeton Seminary during the 19th century was preparing to send 500 missionaries into an African country where they would risk their lives for the cause of Christ. The Bishop was asked, “Why would you send these young people to this place?” The response of the bishop was clear and simple. “Unless they go, the gospel will not go there. Unless the messengers are sent the gospel will not be heard and unless the gospel is heard they will not call upon the Lord to be saved.” This is the normal means by which the gospel comes to us. The Gospel is God’s. It comes from God. God sends His messengers to preach the gospel. People hear the gospel; they believe the gospel and call upon the Lord to be saved. This is how the gospel comes to us, and we have no reason to believe that God is going to do it some other way. This is the reason for Paul’s urgency in Romans. Paul is clear: those outside of Christ stand in the wrath of God under the judgment of God, and apart from the gospel we have no hope that they can ever be saved. That is why it is so urgent for us to take the gospel to our neighbors, our co-workers, the person we meet in line at the store, and even to the ends of the earth. We have no foundation to believe that they can be saved any other way. I pray that you will join us this weekend as we revisit Paul’s evangelistic zeal and passion to take the gospel to those who have not heard, for the glory of Christ. Come with prayerful and expectant hearts that the gospel will go forth even this weekend, and, having heard, someone would call upon Christ for salvation.— Pastor Chad McDonald
A bishop who served at Princeton Seminary during the 19th century was preparing to send 500 missionaries into an African country where they would risk their lives for the cause of Christ. The Bishop was asked, “Why would you send these young people to this place?” The response of the bishop was clear and simple. “Unless they go, the gospel will not go there. Unless the messengers are sent the gospel will not be heard and unless the gospel is heard they will not call upon the Lord to be saved.” This is the normal means by which the gospel comes to us. The Gospel is God’s. It comes from God. God sends His messengers to preach the gospel. People hear the gospel; they believe the gospel and call upon the Lord to be saved. This is how the gospel comes to us, and we have no reason to believe that God is going to do it some other way. This is the reason for Paul’s urgency in Romans. Paul is clear: those outside of Christ stand in the wrath of God under the judgment of God, and apart from the gospel we have no hope that they can ever be saved. That is why it is so urgent for us to take the gospel to our neighbors, our co-workers, the person we meet in line at the store, and even to the ends of the earth. We have no foundation to believe that they can be saved any other way. I pray that you will join us this weekend as we revisit Paul’s evangelistic zeal and passion to take the gospel to those who have not heard, for the glory of Christ. Come with prayerful and expectant hearts that the gospel will go forth even this weekend, and, having heard, someone would call upon Christ for salvation.— Pastor Chad McDonald
Have you ever shared the gospel with someone you loved and cared about and no matter how much you prayed and shared, they just wouldn’t accept Christ? It’s heartbreaking to see someone like this reject God, attempting to earn salvation when the salvation of Christ is extended before them as a gift of grace through faith. That was Paul’s heart for the Jewish people. Paul knew the gospel. Paul knew the Old Testament, and he was absolutely heartbroken for His people to find the same freedom that he found in Christ. More than this, to find the same righteousness that he had found, not through the Law of Moses but through faith in Jesus. Paul would not give up. He continued to pray and share, hoping in the power of the Spirit and the Word of God to open blind eyes. I pray you will make plans to join us this weekend as Paul gives us an example of an evangelistic heart while demonstrating the dramatic difference between a salvation based on works and salvation through faith in Christ. Invite a friend today. Join us this weekend as we worship King Jesus in song and the study of His Word.— Pastor Chad McDonald
Have you ever shared the gospel with someone you loved and cared about and no matter how much you prayed and shared, they just wouldn’t accept Christ? It’s heartbreaking to see someone like this reject God, attempting to earn salvation when the salvation of Christ is extended before them as a gift of grace through faith. That was Paul’s heart for the Jewish people. Paul knew the gospel. Paul knew the Old Testament, and he was absolutely heartbroken for His people to find the same freedom that he found in Christ. More than this, to find the same righteousness that he had found, not through the Law of Moses but through faith in Jesus. Paul would not give up. He continued to pray and share, hoping in the power of the Spirit and the Word of God to open blind eyes. I pray you will make plans to join us this weekend as Paul gives us an example of an evangelistic heart while demonstrating the dramatic difference between a salvation based on works and salvation through faith in Christ. Invite a friend today. Join us this weekend as we worship King Jesus in song and the study of His Word.— Pastor Chad McDonald
At the heart of Romans 9 is Paul’s evangelistic zeal for his kinsmen according to the flesh, Israel. Israel had been given so much privilege. They were given the wonderful privileges of the Law, the promises, the glory, the covenants and temple service. How could they miss the One to whom all these privileges pointed, Jesus Christ? This was not merely some theoretical or theological issue for Paul. It was real and personal. His heart was breaking and the main question that had to be answered was, “Has the Word of God failed?” God promised to save, and Israel, by and large was not being saved. More than this, while Israel was not being saved, Gentiles were trusting in Christ by the droves.What Paul so beautifully does in his response is hold together both the sovereignty of God in pursuing His saving purposes and the responsibility of man. Why is Israel not responding to the Gospel? Paul’s answer points both to God and to Israel. And the same is true in our lives.My prayer this week is that someone, through our study of Romans 9, would come to faith in Christ. That somehow by God’s great grace and mercy through our study of this passage that shows God to be so sovereign and man so small, someone might begin to sense God stirring in their heart. God would, even in this passage, birth within someone a desire to know Christ and His salvation by faith. I pray that you will join us this weekend, and I pray that you would join with me in asking God to move and save lost sinners through our worship of Him in song and in His Word. To God be the glory! — Pastor Chad McDonald
At the heart of Romans 9 is Paul’s evangelistic zeal for his kinsmen according to the flesh, Israel. Israel had been given so much privilege. They were given the wonderful privileges of the Law, the promises, the glory, the covenants and temple service. How could they miss the One to whom all these privileges pointed, Jesus Christ? This was not merely some theoretical or theological issue for Paul. It was real and personal. His heart was breaking and the main question that had to be answered was, “Has the Word of God failed?” God promised to save, and Israel, by and large was not being saved. More than this, while Israel was not being saved, Gentiles were trusting in Christ by the droves.What Paul so beautifully does in his response is hold together both the sovereignty of God in pursuing His saving purposes and the responsibility of man. Why is Israel not responding to the Gospel? Paul’s answer points both to God and to Israel. And the same is true in our lives.My prayer this week is that someone, through our study of Romans 9, would come to faith in Christ. That somehow by God’s great grace and mercy through our study of this passage that shows God to be so sovereign and man so small, someone might begin to sense God stirring in their heart. God would, even in this passage, birth within someone a desire to know Christ and His salvation by faith. I pray that you will join us this weekend, and I pray that you would join with me in asking God to move and save lost sinners through our worship of Him in song and in His Word. To God be the glory! — Pastor Chad McDonald
This week, we come to one of the most difficult and challenging sections in all of God’s Word. The text itself is not that hard to understand but is often hard for us to accept. Many come to these chapters looking for clarity and answers to some of their deepest theological questions. Some of you will come over the next few weeks to find out where I land on some of these issues regarding Israel and the sovereignty of God. However, if we simply come to this text with a desire for greater clarity on the theoretical and theological questions of our mind, we will have missed the point.Having just finished a chapter on the greatness of the salvation, assurance and security that we have in Christ, Paul’s heart breaks for his lost kinsmen who do not have this same salvation. While Paul’s heart breaks for this loss, his heart is also filled with worship at the “riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” In other words, if our study in these chapters does not develop a greater desire to see the lost saved and a deeper sense of love and worship for the God we serve, then I will have failed us, and we will have certainly missed the point.I pray you will come prepared to worship this weekend. Make plans now. Begin to prepare your heart today. Read ahead. Study the text, prepare your heart and pray for the lost. As we gather for corporate worship, let’s expect God to move in response to the study of His Word and the worship of His people. — Pastor Chad McDonald
This week, we come to one of the most difficult and challenging sections in all of God’s Word. The text itself is not that hard to understand but is often hard for us to accept. Many come to these chapters looking for clarity and answers to some of their deepest theological questions. Some of you will come over the next few weeks to find out where I land on some of these issues regarding Israel and the sovereignty of God. However, if we simply come to this text with a desire for greater clarity on the theoretical and theological questions of our mind, we will have missed the point.Having just finished a chapter on the greatness of the salvation, assurance and security that we have in Christ, Paul’s heart breaks for his lost kinsmen who do not have this same salvation. While Paul’s heart breaks for this loss, his heart is also filled with worship at the “riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” In other words, if our study in these chapters does not develop a greater desire to see the lost saved and a deeper sense of love and worship for the God we serve, then I will have failed us, and we will have certainly missed the point.I pray you will come prepared to worship this weekend. Make plans now. Begin to prepare your heart today. Read ahead. Study the text, prepare your heart and pray for the lost. As we gather for corporate worship, let’s expect God to move in response to the study of His Word and the worship of His people. — Pastor Chad McDonald
Romans 8 is the chapter of Christian assurance. The chapter begins with “no condemnation.” There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. No condemnation now or any time in the future. God’s verdict of acquittal in justification is a verdict that is irreversible. Then, at the end of the chapter, we find that there is “no separation.” There is no separation from the persisting love of God which is in Christ — no condemnation and no separation from the love of Christ.Paul is clearly ministering to people who needed that kind of assurance. In light of the circumstances and situations of the Roman believers, there appears to have risen some questions about the sufficiency of God to handle such a threatening world. Paul responds with more than just general words of encouragement. He brings them to the height of Christian doctrine and truth in the love of God demonstrated in Christ.Some of you are facing circumstances and situations that are leading you to a similar place of insecurity and fear. Is God totally sufficient for my needs and situations? When no one else seems to understand, how can I be certain that God loves me and that I can trust Him? I pray that you will join us this weekend as Paul seeks to plumb the depths of God’s love demonstrated towards us in Christ.— Pastor Chad McDonald
Romans 8 is the chapter of Christian assurance. The chapter begins with “no condemnation.” There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. No condemnation now or any time in the future. God’s verdict of acquittal in justification is a verdict that is irreversible. Then, at the end of the chapter, we find that there is “no separation.” There is no separation from the persisting love of God which is in Christ — no condemnation and no separation from the love of Christ.Paul is clearly ministering to people who needed that kind of assurance. In light of the circumstances and situations of the Roman believers, there appears to have risen some questions about the sufficiency of God to handle such a threatening world. Paul responds with more than just general words of encouragement. He brings them to the height of Christian doctrine and truth in the love of God demonstrated in Christ.Some of you are facing circumstances and situations that are leading you to a similar place of insecurity and fear. Is God totally sufficient for my needs and situations? When no one else seems to understand, how can I be certain that God loves me and that I can trust Him? I pray that you will join us this weekend as Paul seeks to plumb the depths of God’s love demonstrated towards us in Christ.— Pastor Chad McDonald
Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” portrayed the death of Christ in one of the most accurate ways ever seen by man, except for those who saw it firsthand. I saw the movie once. I have never seen it again. It is one thing to imagine the death of Christ; it is altogether different to see it portrayed in such a realistic way.In our Good Friday services, we will look at another portrayal of Christ’s suffering in Isaiah 53. Isaiah describes the suffering of Christ with detail and perfection, but unlike Mel Gibson, he pens his description over 700 years in advance of it actually happening. Only God can talk about future events as if they were yesterday’s news.Then in our Easter Celebration services, we will turn our attention to another resurrection in Scripture. A resurrection that anticipates the resurrection of Christ and our own resurrection. A resurrection in which Christ’s claim is tested and gives us proof-positive that He is the resurrection and the life! Only in Christ can we find hope for the future and life for today. I pray that you will join us for all our Easter weekend activities. Make the decision now to attend and invite a friend. Join us as we serve and worship the Risen Savior, King Jesus!— Pastor Chad McDonald
Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” portrayed the death of Christ in one of the most accurate ways ever seen by man, except for those who saw it firsthand. I saw the movie once. I have never seen it again. It is one thing to imagine the death of Christ; it is altogether different to see it portrayed in such a realistic way.In our Good Friday services, we will look at another portrayal of Christ’s suffering in Isaiah 53. Isaiah describes the suffering of Christ with detail and perfection, but unlike Mel Gibson, he pens his description over 700 years in advance of it actually happening. Only God can talk about future events as if they were yesterday’s news.Then in our Easter Celebration services, we will turn our attention to another resurrection in Scripture. A resurrection that anticipates the resurrection of Christ and our own resurrection. A resurrection in which Christ’s claim is tested and gives us proof-positive that He is the resurrection and the life! Only in Christ can we find hope for the future and life for today. I pray that you will join us for all our Easter weekend activities. Make the decision now to attend and invite a friend. Join us as we serve and worship the Risen Savior, King Jesus!— Pastor Chad McDonald
Why did Christ leave the glory of heaven? Why did Christ come to earth? Why did Christ die on the cross for our sins? These are primary questions that we must understand. If we get the answers to these questions wrong, we will end up rejecting Christ just like many in the crowd on that first Palm Sunday. When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday, the majority of the crowd was overwhelmed with excitement. Christ their King was entering Jerusalem to take His rightful place. Before the week is over, however, they will reject Him and put Him on a cross shouting, “Crucify Him!” Why? Because they didn’t understand who Christ was. They did not understand who they were, and they did not know why He came. For that reason, they rejected Him. Sadly, many are making the same mistake today. This weekend as we look at Christ’s triumphal entry marking the beginning of the Passion Week of Christ, I pray that God will make clear to us through His Word and Spirit who we are, who Christ is, and why He came. And I pray that many will come to trust in Him as Savior and submit to Him as Lord. I pray you will join us!
Why did Christ leave the glory of heaven? Why did Christ come to earth? Why did Christ die on the cross for our sins? These are primary questions that we must understand. If we get the answers to these questions wrong, we will end up rejecting Christ just like many in the crowd on that first Palm Sunday. When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday, the majority of the crowd was overwhelmed with excitement. Christ their King was entering Jerusalem to take His rightful place. Before the week is over, however, they will reject Him and put Him on a cross shouting, “Crucify Him!” Why? Because they didn’t understand who Christ was. They did not understand who they were, and they did not know why He came. For that reason, they rejected Him. Sadly, many are making the same mistake today. This weekend as we look at Christ’s triumphal entry marking the beginning of the Passion Week of Christ, I pray that God will make clear to us through His Word and Spirit who we are, who Christ is, and why He came. And I pray that many will come to trust in Him as Savior and submit to Him as Lord. I pray you will join us!
Every week, we receive numerous prayer concerns. As pastors, we seek to pray over all these prayer concerns. When you combine the full prayer list with our cares and hospitalization list, it can be overwhelming. Just this week, some of our fellow church members received discouraging cancer news. We also held funerals for two beloved church members. Earlier in the week, Pastor Kelly conferred with one of our missionaries in Thailand whose community and country have been affected by a horrible earthquake. Thousands have died, and the number continues to grow. The combination of all these situations is overwhelming.Then we come to our text in Romans 8:28. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” When times are good, when we have steady jobs, when our families are doing well, when no one is sick, and there have been no recent deaths, it is easy to say that we know God will work all things together for good of those who love Him. But what about the other times? What about those listed above? In those times, we need to be sure that we know what we are professing when we quote Romans 8:28.— Pastor Chad McDonald
Every week, we receive numerous prayer concerns. As pastors, we seek to pray over all these prayer concerns. When you combine the full prayer list with our cares and hospitalization list, it can be overwhelming. Just this week, some of our fellow church members received discouraging cancer news. We also held funerals for two beloved church members. Earlier in the week, Pastor Kelly conferred with one of our missionaries in Thailand whose community and country have been affected by a horrible earthquake. Thousands have died, and the number continues to grow. The combination of all these situations is overwhelming.Then we come to our text in Romans 8:28. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” When times are good, when we have steady jobs, when our families are doing well, when no one is sick, and there have been no recent deaths, it is easy to say that we know God will work all things together for good of those who love Him. But what about the other times? What about those listed above? In those times, we need to be sure that we know what we are professing when we quote Romans 8:28.— Pastor Chad McDonald
In 2 Chronicles 20:12, Jehoshaphat prays, “For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” I wonder if some in the crowd weren’t thinking to themselves, “You call that leadership? No power. We don’t know what to do.”Most of the time we are looking for people who will say, “I am very powerful and I know exactly what to do.” That is what our culture most often identifies as true leadership. The Scripture, however, speaks something very different into our lives. We are frail. We are not that smart, and when we come to the understanding of our weakness and frailty, then we are comforted with the knowledge that the Spirit of God helps us in our weakness. As Paul would say in 2 Corinthians 12, “His power is perfected in our weakness.” If you have it all figured out, you know everything, and you have all the strength you need to meet the circumstances of your life, you can probably skip this weekend’s message. But if, by chance, you are at a place where you don’t really know what to do, or if you have come to a place where the circumstances seem overwhelming and you feel powerless, I pray you will join us the weekend. In our passage this week, Paul will reinforce a powerful truth that is so critical for the effective Christian life: “the Spirit helps us in our weakness.”— Pastor Chad McDonald
In 2 Chronicles 20:12, Jehoshaphat prays, “For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” I wonder if some in the crowd weren’t thinking to themselves, “You call that leadership? No power. We don’t know what to do.”Most of the time we are looking for people who will say, “I am very powerful and I know exactly what to do.” That is what our culture most often identifies as true leadership. The Scripture, however, speaks something very different into our lives. We are frail. We are not that smart, and when we come to the understanding of our weakness and frailty, then we are comforted with the knowledge that the Spirit of God helps us in our weakness. As Paul would say in 2 Corinthians 12, “His power is perfected in our weakness.” If you have it all figured out, you know everything, and you have all the strength you need to meet the circumstances of your life, you can probably skip this weekend’s message. But if, by chance, you are at a place where you don’t really know what to do, or if you have come to a place where the circumstances seem overwhelming and you feel powerless, I pray you will join us the weekend. In our passage this week, Paul will reinforce a powerful truth that is so critical for the effective Christian life: “the Spirit helps us in our weakness.”— Pastor Chad McDonald
Imagine for a moment being someone with great financial troubles and difficulties—someone who has trouble making ends meet. For some of you, this may not be too difficult to imagine. It may be your present circumstances. But then imagine waking up one morning to discover that you are an heir to one of the wealthiest individuals in the world—someone who is infinitely and fabulously wealthy. One day you will enter into all the riches and immeasurable wealth of that person. If you multiply that truth by infinity, you will not even be at the edges of understanding what it means to be an heir of God and a co-heir with Christ. What a glorious truth! No matter how wonderful your conditions are today, for the believer in Christ, the best is always yet to come.I pray that you will join us for worship this weekend as we examine these wonderful truths of what it means to be “in Christ” and the application of these truths for our present lives. Remember, weekend worship is a Friday decision. Make plans today to join us for worship! — Pastor Chad McDonald
Imagine for a moment being someone with great financial troubles and difficulties—someone who has trouble making ends meet. For some of you, this may not be too difficult to imagine. It may be your present circumstances. But then imagine waking up one morning to discover that you are an heir to one of the wealthiest individuals in the world—someone who is infinitely and fabulously wealthy. One day you will enter into all the riches and immeasurable wealth of that person. If you multiply that truth by infinity, you will not even be at the edges of understanding what it means to be an heir of God and a co-heir with Christ. What a glorious truth! No matter how wonderful your conditions are today, for the believer in Christ, the best is always yet to come.I pray that you will join us for worship this weekend as we examine these wonderful truths of what it means to be “in Christ” and the application of these truths for our present lives. Remember, weekend worship is a Friday decision. Make plans today to join us for worship! — Pastor Chad McDonald
As we have seen in previous weeks, genuine believers are no longer under God’s condemnation. We have been freed from the penalty and power of sin. But while sin no longer reigns, it does still remain. In our text this week, Paul expounds on the truth that not only are we not under condemnation, but we are also not under sin’s obligation. We can say no to our flesh every day. How? Through the pattern of saying yes to the Spirit, through the power supplied by the Spirit, and through the promise of an eternal inheritance reserved in heaven for us. As we look at verses 12-17 this weekend, we will examine three truths: the believer’s invitation, the believer’s indwelling and the believer’s inheritance.— Pastor Ryan McDaniel, Campus Pastor
As we have seen in previous weeks, genuine believers are no longer under God’s condemnation. We have been freed from the penalty and power of sin. But while sin no longer reigns, it does still remain. In our text this week, Paul expounds on the truth that not only are we not under condemnation, but we are also not under sin’s obligation. We can say no to our flesh every day. How? Through the pattern of saying yes to the Spirit, through the power supplied by the Spirit, and through the promise of an eternal inheritance reserved in heaven for us. As we look at verses 12-17 this weekend, we will examine three truths: the believer’s invitation, the believer’s indwelling and the believer’s inheritance.— Pastor Ryan McDaniel, Campus Pastor
We all long for security. We long for security in our relationships, our financial situation and when we sleep at night in our homes. If you have been the victim of identity theft, you know the value of a secure identity. Romans 8 is all about security. We have security with God because of what Christ has accomplished for us. The security of the believer, however, is not just some propositional truth or some future hope, it is a present reality that is evidenced in our changed lives.— Pastor Chad McDonald
We all long for security. We long for security in our relationships, our financial situation and when we sleep at night in our homes. If you have been the victim of identity theft, you know the value of a secure identity. Romans 8 is all about security. We have security with God because of what Christ has accomplished for us. The security of the believer, however, is not just some propositional truth or some future hope, it is a present reality that is evidenced in our changed lives.— Pastor Chad McDonald
This weekend we begin to study what many have referred to as the greatest chapter in all of God’s Word, Romans 8. It’s salvific and theological significance cannot be overstated. Few chapters in the Word rival Romans 8 in setting forth the Gospel and the plan of salvation. An old German commentator named Spener said that if the Bible was a ring and the book of Romans, a precious stone, chapter 8 would be “the sparkling point of the jewel.” Beyond this, few chapters of God’s Word rival its practical significance in the life of the believer. Many turn to Romans 8 when they are in sorrow to be encouraged that nothing can separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. It is the chapter that many turn to when they don’t know how to pray so that they might be encouraged by the Spirit’s intercession for them. Still others turn to this chapter when they are overwhelmed by the burden and guilt of sin to be reminded that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For these reasons and so many others, I pray that you will join us this weekend as we dive into the first few verses of Romans 8. Make the decision today to join us for worship this weekend. God has not just saved us from hell; He has saved us into a family, the Church. I pray that gathering with the body of Christ would be the highlight of your week as we enjoy the togetherness of the Gospel. We stand on God’s Word together. We pray together. We sing together. We encourage one another together. We invite sinners to repentance and belief in Christ together. And one day, we will enjoy heaven together. Let’s gather this weekend and get a little glimpse of heaven! — Pastor Chad McDonald
This weekend we begin to study what many have referred to as the greatest chapter in all of God’s Word, Romans 8. It’s salvific and theological significance cannot be overstated. Few chapters in the Word rival Romans 8 in setting forth the Gospel and the plan of salvation. An old German commentator named Spener said that if the Bible was a ring and the book of Romans, a precious stone, chapter 8 would be “the sparkling point of the jewel.” Beyond this, few chapters of God’s Word rival its practical significance in the life of the believer. Many turn to Romans 8 when they are in sorrow to be encouraged that nothing can separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. It is the chapter that many turn to when they don’t know how to pray so that they might be encouraged by the Spirit’s intercession for them. Still others turn to this chapter when they are overwhelmed by the burden and guilt of sin to be reminded that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For these reasons and so many others, I pray that you will join us this weekend as we dive into the first few verses of Romans 8. Make the decision today to join us for worship this weekend. God has not just saved us from hell; He has saved us into a family, the Church. I pray that gathering with the body of Christ would be the highlight of your week as we enjoy the togetherness of the Gospel. We stand on God’s Word together. We pray together. We sing together. We encourage one another together. We invite sinners to repentance and belief in Christ together. And one day, we will enjoy heaven together. Let’s gather this weekend and get a little glimpse of heaven! — Pastor Chad McDonald
Romans 7:13-25 has been described as one of the most difficult passages in Romans to interpret. The primary question that dominates most of the discussion is, “Who is this man who is speaking here?” Is this Paul as a believer or an unbeliever? Is this Paul as a mature believer, or Paul reflecting on his past before fully grasping God’s revelation in Christ? Certainly, there are aspects of what Paul says that would seem to be impossible statements for the believer and even contradictory to what Paul has previously said in Romans. How can I be freed from the dominion of sin in Christ while at the same time in bondage to sin in my flesh? What is the nature of the true Christian life? Is it possible to have a Christian life where there is no consciousness of your own deep sinfulness? I pray that you will join us this weekend as we look into God’s Word for answers to these questions. Answers that are critical to the successful Christian life. I look forward to seeing you this weekend! — Pastor Chad McDonald
Romans 7:13-25 has been described as one of the most difficult passages in Romans to interpret. The primary question that dominates most of the discussion is, “Who is this man who is speaking here?” Is this Paul as a believer or an unbeliever? Is this Paul as a mature believer, or Paul reflecting on his past before fully grasping God’s revelation in Christ? Certainly, there are aspects of what Paul says that would seem to be impossible statements for the believer and even contradictory to what Paul has previously said in Romans. How can I be freed from the dominion of sin in Christ while at the same time in bondage to sin in my flesh? What is the nature of the true Christian life? Is it possible to have a Christian life where there is no consciousness of your own deep sinfulness? I pray that you will join us this weekend as we look into God’s Word for answers to these questions. Answers that are critical to the successful Christian life. I look forward to seeing you this weekend! — Pastor Chad McDonald
In order to keep the law, we must die to the law. If we are under the bondage of the law, we are not free from the dominion of sin to live and serve the Lord with joy. These are shocking statements. They are the essence of what Paul says in Romans 6-7, and they were the foundation of the accusations that haunted Paul in writing his letter to the Romans. Paul’s opponents were fearful that his teaching concerning the Gospel and dying to the law would lead to lawlessness. You can almost hear them saying, “Paul, we don’t need less law. We need more law.” If you read Paul carefully in these verses, you can hear his response. The real issue is not less or more law, the real issue is that we need more Jesus. We need more of the Gospel. When you only have the law, you will only have an increase of sin and trespass. The law alone cannot change a heart. Only the gospel can change the human heart. But when the gospel changes the hearts of people, they will obey His commands from a joyful heart. What a glorious paradox. In order to truly live, we must die. To keep the law, we must die to the law.I pray that you will join us this weekend for one of our many worship services. Weekend worship is a Friday decision. Make the decision today to join us for worship. — Pastor Chad McDonald
In order to keep the law, we must die to the law. If we are under the bondage of the law, we are not free from the dominion of sin to live and serve the Lord with joy. These are shocking statements. They are the essence of what Paul says in Romans 6-7, and they were the foundation of the accusations that haunted Paul in writing his letter to the Romans. Paul’s opponents were fearful that his teaching concerning the Gospel and dying to the law would lead to lawlessness. You can almost hear them saying, “Paul, we don’t need less law. We need more law.” If you read Paul carefully in these verses, you can hear his response. The real issue is not less or more law, the real issue is that we need more Jesus. We need more of the Gospel. When you only have the law, you will only have an increase of sin and trespass. The law alone cannot change a heart. Only the gospel can change the human heart. But when the gospel changes the hearts of people, they will obey His commands from a joyful heart. What a glorious paradox. In order to truly live, we must die. To keep the law, we must die to the law.I pray that you will join us this weekend for one of our many worship services. Weekend worship is a Friday decision. Make the decision today to join us for worship. — Pastor Chad McDonald
If you have read ahead in Romans 7, you’ve probably asked the question, “How do marriage and death relate to sanctification?” Paul is a wonderful teacher in his use of illustrations. He has already helped to define sanctification as being “in Christ,” and last week he helped to define sanctification through the lens of the slave and master relationship. This week, as we turn our attention to Romans 7, Paul uses marriage to help define the believer’s relationship with the law. Far too many believers are attempting to go back and live under the law. You can often recognize them by their frustration and critique of those who don’t live up to their own set of convictions. Others use their freedom from the law as an excuse to ignore the law or even to break the law. Both of these reactions to the law are a gross misinterpretation of the gospel. The law of God is divinely inspired and relevant for our lives, but it was never intended to save us. We will spend the next few weeks walking through Romans as Paul masterfully paints a picture of our freedom in Christ and how uniting with Christ free’s us up to live in the beauty of God’s law. Make plans now to join us. Don’t wait until Sunday morning to decide. Make the decision now that worship this weekend will be a priority to you and your family. — Pastor Chad McDonald
If you have read ahead in Romans 7, you’ve probably asked the question, “How do marriage and death relate to sanctification?” Paul is a wonderful teacher in his use of illustrations. He has already helped to define sanctification as being “in Christ,” and last week he helped to define sanctification through the lens of the slave and master relationship. This week, as we turn our attention to Romans 7, Paul uses marriage to help define the believer’s relationship with the law. Far too many believers are attempting to go back and live under the law. You can often recognize them by their frustration and critique of those who don’t live up to their own set of convictions. Others use their freedom from the law as an excuse to ignore the law or even to break the law. Both of these reactions to the law are a gross misinterpretation of the gospel. The law of God is divinely inspired and relevant for our lives, but it was never intended to save us. We will spend the next few weeks walking through Romans as Paul masterfully paints a picture of our freedom in Christ and how uniting with Christ free’s us up to live in the beauty of God’s law. Make plans now to join us. Don’t wait until Sunday morning to decide. Make the decision now that worship this weekend will be a priority to you and your family. — Pastor Chad McDonald
When the New Testament speaks of our salvation, it does so in the past tense. It speaks of believers as chosen, washed, justified and sanctified. At the moment of salvation, you were given to the Lordship of Christ. Yes, there is a process of growth, and you will continue to move forward and advance.Jim Elliot once said, “It takes the whole of your life to give the whole of your life to Christ.” I love that quote, and it is true. But at the same time, it is inconceivable to Paul and the New Testament writers that a person could come to faith in Christ as Savior without Christ also becoming Lord at that very same moment. You can never be a justified believer without also being a sanctified believer. This is what Paul has been rejoicing in through Romans 6. Now, as we begin to walk through the latter verses of the chapter, Paul digs even deeper into the means and motivation of the sanctifying work of Christ in our hearts. These are passages that we must know and understand.I pray that you will join us this weekend for worship. We will celebrate and rejoice with believers as they publicly confess Christ in baptism. We will pray for one another and fellowship. Most importantly, we will gather round the Word of God and sing praises to God that we might be changed more and more into the likeness of His glory. — Pastor Chad McDonald
When the New Testament speaks of our salvation, it does so in the past tense. It speaks of believers as chosen, washed, justified and sanctified. At the moment of salvation, you were given to the Lordship of Christ. Yes, there is a process of growth, and you will continue to move forward and advance.Jim Elliot once said, “It takes the whole of your life to give the whole of your life to Christ.” I love that quote, and it is true. But at the same time, it is inconceivable to Paul and the New Testament writers that a person could come to faith in Christ as Savior without Christ also becoming Lord at that very same moment. You can never be a justified believer without also being a sanctified believer. This is what Paul has been rejoicing in through Romans 6. Now, as we begin to walk through the latter verses of the chapter, Paul digs even deeper into the means and motivation of the sanctifying work of Christ in our hearts. These are passages that we must know and understand.I pray that you will join us this weekend for worship. We will celebrate and rejoice with believers as they publicly confess Christ in baptism. We will pray for one another and fellowship. Most importantly, we will gather round the Word of God and sing praises to God that we might be changed more and more into the likeness of His glory. — Pastor Chad McDonald
Up to this point in Romans, we have received no real commands from Paul. He has not given us something to do. He has told us what Christ has done and who we are in Him. This is the pattern of Paul. He starts with doctrine and then moves to daily living, because Paul knows that behavior always follows our beliefs. This week, we will be introduced to our first real commands from Paul as we move from justification to sanctification. We began this work last week. It is not easy to understand, but it is critical to a victorious walk with Christ. It is worthy of our work and effort to know this chapter and to study it deeply. I pray that you read ahead. Prepare your heart now for worship this weekend. Let us gather with expectant and excited hearts as we gather around His Word with His people and sing His praises. “I was glad when they said to me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122.1 — Pastor Chad McDonald
Up to this point in Romans, we have received no real commands from Paul. He has not given us something to do. He has told us what Christ has done and who we are in Him. This is the pattern of Paul. He starts with doctrine and then moves to daily living, because Paul knows that behavior always follows our beliefs. This week, we will be introduced to our first real commands from Paul as we move from justification to sanctification. We began this work last week. It is not easy to understand, but it is critical to a victorious walk with Christ. It is worthy of our work and effort to know this chapter and to study it deeply. I pray that you read ahead. Prepare your heart now for worship this weekend. Let us gather with expectant and excited hearts as we gather around His Word with His people and sing His praises. “I was glad when they said to me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122.1 — Pastor Chad McDonald
Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more! This is a glorious statement and a wonderful reality of the gospel. For many living in Paul’s day, however, it was an incredibly dangerous statement. For them, it was a license to sin. If grace abounds more when I sin more, why not keep on sinning? To answer this question, Paul reminds us of what has really occurred in our hearts when we placed our faith in Christ. In fact, he responds by asking the question, “Do you not know what occurred to you when you trusted Christ?” The answer to this question is foundational to the Christian life. What occurs when we trust in Christ, and what difference does it make in our lives? I pray you will join us this weekend as we continue our study through Romans and address these critical questions that are essential to Christian life.
Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more! This is a glorious statement and a wonderful reality of the gospel. For many living in Paul’s day, however, it was an incredibly dangerous statement. For them, it was a license to sin. If grace abounds more when I sin more, why not keep on sinning? To answer this question, Paul reminds us of what has really occurred in our hearts when we placed our faith in Christ. In fact, he responds by asking the question, “Do you not know what occurred to you when you trusted Christ?” The answer to this question is foundational to the Christian life. What occurs when we trust in Christ, and what difference does it make in our lives? I pray you will join us this weekend as we continue our study through Romans and address these critical questions that are essential to Christian life.
If you have read ahead in Romans 5 to the verses we will study this week, you probably noticed that there is a significant difference between verses 12-21 and verses 1-11. A few years back, the deacon body set out to memorize Romans 5. The first eleven verses were no problem. The last nine were incredibly difficult, not just to memorize, but also to understand. I even had the thought this week that I should have assigned these verses to Pastor Ryan, and then we could have just marched into Romans 6 this weekend. But, while these verses may be difficult to understand, their value cannot be understated. These verses are foundational to Christian thinking and Christian living. They help us to understand how God saves sinners and how what one man did on a cross has brought justification, life and salvation to a multitude of people. Understanding these verses will bring you into a greater appreciation of the magnitude of the salvation that is ours through faith in Christ.
If you have read ahead in Romans 5 to the verses we will study this week, you probably noticed that there is a significant difference between verses 12-21 and verses 1-11. A few years back, the deacon body set out to memorize Romans 5. The first eleven verses were no problem. The last nine were incredibly difficult, not just to memorize, but also to understand. I even had the thought this week that I should have assigned these verses to Pastor Ryan, and then we could have just marched into Romans 6 this weekend. But, while these verses may be difficult to understand, their value cannot be understated. These verses are foundational to Christian thinking and Christian living. They help us to understand how God saves sinners and how what one man did on a cross has brought justification, life and salvation to a multitude of people. Understanding these verses will bring you into a greater appreciation of the magnitude of the salvation that is ours through faith in Christ.
In our “big event” culture, Christmas is always the biggest annual event of all. We plan for it, prepare for it and celebrate it for over a month, and it doesn’t even matter if we are believers or not. When it comes to Christmas, we all want the same thing. We want Christmas to be perfect. We have this hope that everyone will get along. We want perfect decorations, we want to give (and get) the perfect gifts, and we even want perfect desserts. After all, it’s Christmas, and isn’t Christmas supposed to be perfect? The reality is, in this imperfect world, Christmas will never be, and has never been, perfect. This week, we will take a look back at that first Christmas which was anything but perfect for Mary and for Joseph. You see, the only thing perfect about Christmas then, and Christmas now, is that perfect baby who was in the manger. God gave the world the perfect gift for an absolutely imperfect world.
In our “big event” culture, Christmas is always the biggest annual event of all. We plan for it, prepare for it and celebrate it for over a month, and it doesn’t even matter if we are believers or not. When it comes to Christmas, we all want the same thing. We want Christmas to be perfect. We have this hope that everyone will get along. We want perfect decorations, we want to give (and get) the perfect gifts, and we even want perfect desserts. After all, it’s Christmas, and isn’t Christmas supposed to be perfect? The reality is, in this imperfect world, Christmas will never be, and has never been, perfect. This week, we will take a look back at that first Christmas which was anything but perfect for Mary and for Joseph. You see, the only thing perfect about Christmas then, and Christmas now, is that perfect baby who was in the manger. God gave the world the perfect gift for an absolutely imperfect world.
The birth of Christ occurred under the noses of and in the presence of many people, and yet so many of those people missed it. The innkeeper missed it. The incarnation and birth of the Son of God, one of the most significant events in salvation history, occurred near or even on his own property, and yet he missed it. Maybe he was too busy with travelers or too concerned with the stuff of earth, and he missed the birth of the eternal king. The religious leaders knew all the prophecies concerning Christ, and yet when he came, they missed it. They weren’t looking for a Savior because they didn’t think they needed a Savior.In the coming days, we will celebrate the coming of Christ who died for our sins and provided salvation, and yet so many people will miss it. Maybe like the innkeeper, they are too caught up in the earthly business of life. Maybe like the religious leaders, they miss the celebration of the Savior’s birth, because they don’t think they need a Savior.What about you? We are in a similar position today when it comes to waiting for Christ. Will we be like Simeon and Anna in Luke 2:21-38? Waiting in faith for the promises of God to be fulfilled? Do we even know what the promises are? Are we walking in the Spirit and clinging to Scripture? I pray you will join us this weekend for worship and next week for one of our Christmas Eve services. Corporately and prayerfully, we will turn our attention to God’s Word. We will ask the Spirit of God to open our eyes, hearts and ears to His truth that we might grow in our anticipation for Christ. That, like Simeon and Anna, we would wait upon the Lord, watch for the Lord, and walk in the Spirit as we anticipate the blessed appearing of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. The joy of seeing Him will be inexpressible!
The birth of Christ occurred under the noses of and in the presence of many people, and yet so many of those people missed it. The innkeeper missed it. The incarnation and birth of the Son of God, one of the most significant events in salvation history, occurred near or even on his own property, and yet he missed it. Maybe he was too busy with travelers or too concerned with the stuff of earth, and he missed the birth of the eternal king. The religious leaders knew all the prophecies concerning Christ, and yet when he came, they missed it. They weren’t looking for a Savior because they didn’t think they needed a Savior.In the coming days, we will celebrate the coming of Christ who died for our sins and provided salvation, and yet so many people will miss it. Maybe like the innkeeper, they are too caught up in the earthly business of life. Maybe like the religious leaders, they miss the celebration of the Savior’s birth, because they don’t think they need a Savior.What about you? We are in a similar position today when it comes to waiting for Christ. Will we be like Simeon and Anna in Luke 2:21-38? Waiting in faith for the promises of God to be fulfilled? Do we even know what the promises are? Are we walking in the Spirit and clinging to Scripture? I pray you will join us this weekend for worship and next week for one of our Christmas Eve services. Corporately and prayerfully, we will turn our attention to God’s Word. We will ask the Spirit of God to open our eyes, hearts and ears to His truth that we might grow in our anticipation for Christ. That, like Simeon and Anna, we would wait upon the Lord, watch for the Lord, and walk in the Spirit as we anticipate the blessed appearing of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. The joy of seeing Him will be inexpressible!
In 1987, a little girl named Jessica McClure fell down an abandoned well shaft. The shaft was eight inches in diameter and twenty two feet deep. She was lost to her parents with no way to get her out. Her rescue became the focus of the little town of Midland, TX. For 15 hours, men dug and drilled. The limestone around the shaft made her rescue incredibly difficult and almost impossible. At the end of that fifteen hours, however, the world watched as a man who was able to get down into that shaft brought her to the top. The site was filled with folks who had been hoping and praying. The parents were crying, the rescuers were crying, and the newscasters were crying because this little girl, whom everyone thought was dead, was now alive. But in order to live, someone else had to save her.Little Jessica’s condition is very similar to our spiritual condition prior to Christ. In our sin, we had fallen into an abyss of death from which we could not escape. We were hopeless and helpless. If we had any hope of escape and life, someone from above had to come down to us. That is exactly what Jesus did. He saw you and me in the hole of sin and death. He saw our efforts to free ourselves and the futility of our attempts. He entered that hole of sin and death and offered salvation from above. He not only offered salvation but assurance. The Jesus who came to save also assures us of our salvation. Few texts of God’s Word describe this salvation more clearly than Romans 5:6-11. I pray that you will plan to join us this weekend as we worship the One who came and rescued us from our hopeless and helpless situation of sin and death.
In 1987, a little girl named Jessica McClure fell down an abandoned well shaft. The shaft was eight inches in diameter and twenty two feet deep. She was lost to her parents with no way to get her out. Her rescue became the focus of the little town of Midland, TX. For 15 hours, men dug and drilled. The limestone around the shaft made her rescue incredibly difficult and almost impossible. At the end of that fifteen hours, however, the world watched as a man who was able to get down into that shaft brought her to the top. The site was filled with folks who had been hoping and praying. The parents were crying, the rescuers were crying, and the newscasters were crying because this little girl, whom everyone thought was dead, was now alive. But in order to live, someone else had to save her.Little Jessica’s condition is very similar to our spiritual condition prior to Christ. In our sin, we had fallen into an abyss of death from which we could not escape. We were hopeless and helpless. If we had any hope of escape and life, someone from above had to come down to us. That is exactly what Jesus did. He saw you and me in the hole of sin and death. He saw our efforts to free ourselves and the futility of our attempts. He entered that hole of sin and death and offered salvation from above. He not only offered salvation but assurance. The Jesus who came to save also assures us of our salvation. Few texts of God’s Word describe this salvation more clearly than Romans 5:6-11. I pray that you will plan to join us this weekend as we worship the One who came and rescued us from our hopeless and helpless situation of sin and death.
Over the years, there have been some incredibly effective ad campaigns used to market products. One such campaign was run by the credit card company, American Express, from 1987-1996. Their slogan was “membership has its privileges.” It was widely recognized by people as a way to live an elite lifestyle, and it was very effective in helping to contribute to the debt of those who enjoyed living above their means. This weekend, we will discover that there is a membership available to us in Christ that has amazing privileges when it comes to being justified by faith. It is a membership that cannot be purchased with money. Your net worth has no effect on your acceptance. In fact, bankruptcy is a primary requirement. This membership is granted freely as a gift to those who place all their faith in Christ for salvation. Christ adds us to the family of faith, and our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. But what about the privileges? Those who are members of God’s family by faith are guaranteed peace, joy, grace and hope. I pray you will join us this weekend as we discover the amazing privileges that are granted to those who are justified by faith in Christ. Don’t forget Kansas City Christmas this weekend. One of the KC Christmas services will take the place of our Saturday evening service. Please visit our website (or scroll below) to see the details for this incredible time of worship and celebration of the coming of Christ. The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men! It is going to be a great weekend of worship. I look forward to seeing you! — Pastor Chad
Over the years, there have been some incredibly effective ad campaigns used to market products. One such campaign was run by the credit card company, American Express, from 1987-1996. Their slogan was “membership has its privileges.” It was widely recognized by people as a way to live an elite lifestyle, and it was very effective in helping to contribute to the debt of those who enjoyed living above their means. This weekend, we will discover that there is a membership available to us in Christ that has amazing privileges when it comes to being justified by faith. It is a membership that cannot be purchased with money. Your net worth has no effect on your acceptance. In fact, bankruptcy is a primary requirement. This membership is granted freely as a gift to those who place all their faith in Christ for salvation. Christ adds us to the family of faith, and our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. But what about the privileges? Those who are members of God’s family by faith are guaranteed peace, joy, grace and hope. I pray you will join us this weekend as we discover the amazing privileges that are granted to those who are justified by faith in Christ. Don’t forget Kansas City Christmas this weekend. One of the KC Christmas services will take the place of our Saturday evening service. Please visit our website (or scroll below) to see the details for this incredible time of worship and celebration of the coming of Christ. The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men! It is going to be a great weekend of worship. I look forward to seeing you! — Pastor Chad
After Faith and I got married, we lived in student housing on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The small apartment was affordable, and Faith did a great job of making it home. The apartment had one downside. Just outside our apartment on the other side of a small fence was a set of train tracks with a crossing about a hundred yards away. Do you know how many times a train blows the horn? A lot! I hated that horn. It never failed to blow just as I was getting in my truck early in the morning. But that horn serves an important role. It is a warning to unaware drivers who are going about their everyday lives that death is coming down the tracks. If that train suddenly hits your vehicle, you will be dead before you know it. The word of God, in many ways, serves a similar role. It reminds us that death is coming down the tracks of life, and at any moment, you could be called to stand before God. When that day comes, what will your argument be? In Romans 4, Paul gives us the only answer that will stand before a holy God. I pray you will make plans to join us for worship this weekend as we look to the King of kings and the Lord of lords: our only hope and Savior, Jesus Christ. — Pastor Chad
After Faith and I got married, we lived in student housing on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The small apartment was affordable, and Faith did a great job of making it home. The apartment had one downside. Just outside our apartment on the other side of a small fence was a set of train tracks with a crossing about a hundred yards away. Do you know how many times a train blows the horn? A lot! I hated that horn. It never failed to blow just as I was getting in my truck early in the morning. But that horn serves an important role. It is a warning to unaware drivers who are going about their everyday lives that death is coming down the tracks. If that train suddenly hits your vehicle, you will be dead before you know it. The word of God, in many ways, serves a similar role. It reminds us that death is coming down the tracks of life, and at any moment, you could be called to stand before God. When that day comes, what will your argument be? In Romans 4, Paul gives us the only answer that will stand before a holy God. I pray you will make plans to join us for worship this weekend as we look to the King of kings and the Lord of lords: our only hope and Savior, Jesus Christ. — Pastor Chad
Few disasters are more well-known than the sinking of the Titanic. The Titanic was an amazing marvel of human ingenuity and achievement created to make transatlantic ocean crossings between Southampton, England and New York City. But it had a major flaw. The quality of the steel and rivets was too weak and brittle to withstand contact with any of the icebergs floating in the Atlantic Ocean. A lot of people put their faith in what they thought was able to carry them safely to the other shore. What they thought was substantial was actually paper thin and couldn’t hold up against an Atlantic iceberg.When it comes to salvation, people place their faith in a lot of things. Some place their trust in their own morality, their own good works. Others place their faith in physical acts of religion. They believe their church attendance, membership, baptism or communion will carry them safely to the other shore. Biblically speaking, however, none of those will stand up against the iceberg of God. We will all meet God, and when we stand before Him, all our arguments of works and religion will be revealed as paper thin. They won’t hold up. Our only hope is faith in Jesus.Paul reminds of us this truth as we study Romans this weekend. I pray you’ll make plans to join us. You can’t love Christ and not love His body, the Church. Gather with us as we worship the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God to whom belongs the glory forever and ever. Amen. – Pastor Chad –
Few disasters are more well-known than the sinking of the Titanic. The Titanic was an amazing marvel of human ingenuity and achievement created to make transatlantic ocean crossings between Southampton, England and New York City. But it had a major flaw. The quality of the steel and rivets was too weak and brittle to withstand contact with any of the icebergs floating in the Atlantic Ocean. A lot of people put their faith in what they thought was able to carry them safely to the other shore. What they thought was substantial was actually paper thin and couldn’t hold up against an Atlantic iceberg.When it comes to salvation, people place their faith in a lot of things. Some place their trust in their own morality, their own good works. Others place their faith in physical acts of religion. They believe their church attendance, membership, baptism or communion will carry them safely to the other shore. Biblically speaking, however, none of those will stand up against the iceberg of God. We will all meet God, and when we stand before Him, all our arguments of works and religion will be revealed as paper thin. They won’t hold up. Our only hope is faith in Jesus.Paul reminds of us this truth as we study Romans this weekend. I pray you’ll make plans to join us. You can’t love Christ and not love His body, the Church. Gather with us as we worship the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God to whom belongs the glory forever and ever. Amen. – Pastor Chad –
Much emphasis today has been placed on discovering your cultural heritage. Today, using your DNA with precise geographic detail and historical insights, you can connect yourself with the people and places in your genealogical past. In Romans 4, Paul traces our spiritual lineage. You might say that Romans 4 is Paul’s version of ancestry.com. Paul will demonstrate how Jews and Gentiles who place their faith in Christ come from a long line of believers including Abraham and David. Salvation by faith is not a novelty. It is not departing from Old Testament Scriptures; it is following in the path of the great Old Testament saints. I pray you will join us this weekend. Corporate worship is so critical to our walk with Christ. We all need Christ, and we all need each other. Make plans now to attend one of our many services. We will also have some surprise guests and make a special presentation as part of our missions moment. This is a Sunday you will not want to miss! — Pastor Chad
Much emphasis today has been placed on discovering your cultural heritage. Today, using your DNA with precise geographic detail and historical insights, you can connect yourself with the people and places in your genealogical past. In Romans 4, Paul traces our spiritual lineage. You might say that Romans 4 is Paul’s version of ancestry.com. Paul will demonstrate how Jews and Gentiles who place their faith in Christ come from a long line of believers including Abraham and David. Salvation by faith is not a novelty. It is not departing from Old Testament Scriptures; it is following in the path of the great Old Testament saints. I pray you will join us this weekend. Corporate worship is so critical to our walk with Christ. We all need Christ, and we all need each other. Make plans now to attend one of our many services. We will also have some surprise guests and make a special presentation as part of our missions moment. This is a Sunday you will not want to miss! — Pastor Chad
Growing up, I went to a barbershop not far from the school where my dad worked. Once a month, my dad would give me $6 for my haircut. In the barber shop was a sign that read, “In God we trust, all others pay cash.” You couldn’t pay with a check. You couldn’t pay with a credit card. Cash was the only acceptable payment that the barber would accept. As we continue the study of Romans this week and look in depth at what has often been described as the greatest paragraph in our Bible, we are reminded again that Jesus Christ is the only payment God will accept. There is only one way to satisfy the wrath of God. There is only one way to pay for your sins. There is only one entrance to heaven and His name is Jesus. I pray you will plan to join us this weekend as we continue to walk through this beautiful passage in God’s Word. — Pastor Chad
Growing up, I went to a barbershop not far from the school where my dad worked. Once a month, my dad would give me $6 for my haircut. In the barber shop was a sign that read, “In God we trust, all others pay cash.” You couldn’t pay with a check. You couldn’t pay with a credit card. Cash was the only acceptable payment that the barber would accept. As we continue the study of Romans this week and look in depth at what has often been described as the greatest paragraph in our Bible, we are reminded again that Jesus Christ is the only payment God will accept. There is only one way to satisfy the wrath of God. There is only one way to pay for your sins. There is only one entrance to heaven and His name is Jesus. I pray you will plan to join us this weekend as we continue to walk through this beautiful passage in God’s Word. — Pastor Chad
Our passage this weekend includes three words that are essential to understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are theological terms that take us into three different realms of understanding and illustrate all that Christ accomplished for us in His life, death and resurrection, and they must be considered simultaneously. All three united together demonstrate, as we see in v.26, how God can be “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” God has looked upon us in our great need and hopelessness, in all the dimensions of our sin, and provided, in Christ, a Savior who is all-sufficient for our need. I pray you will join us this weekend as we focus on our great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now more than ever we need corporate worship. We need a place to gather with God’s people around the truth of His Holy Word and sing, pray and worship. To declare as the Psalmist, “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” — Pastor Chad
Our passage this weekend includes three words that are essential to understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are theological terms that take us into three different realms of understanding and illustrate all that Christ accomplished for us in His life, death and resurrection, and they must be considered simultaneously. All three united together demonstrate, as we see in v.26, how God can be “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” God has looked upon us in our great need and hopelessness, in all the dimensions of our sin, and provided, in Christ, a Savior who is all-sufficient for our need. I pray you will join us this weekend as we focus on our great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now more than ever we need corporate worship. We need a place to gather with God’s people around the truth of His Holy Word and sing, pray and worship. To declare as the Psalmist, “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” — Pastor Chad
Our passage this week marks a significant transition in Paul’s outlining of the gospel. It has been said that this paragraph in Romans 3:21-24 is the most significant paragraph in all of God’s Word. No other passage more clearly outlines the righteousness of God and the salvation of man. It would take years to plumb the depths of the wonders of the biblical truths in this passage. My study of this text and preparation has been profoundly humbling and joyful at the same time. I pray you will join us as we begin our journey rediscovering that there is nothing more glorious in all the world than being a follower of Christ. — Pastor Chad
Our passage this week marks a significant transition in Paul’s outlining of the gospel. It has been said that this paragraph in Romans 3:21-24 is the most significant paragraph in all of God’s Word. No other passage more clearly outlines the righteousness of God and the salvation of man. It would take years to plumb the depths of the wonders of the biblical truths in this passage. My study of this text and preparation has been profoundly humbling and joyful at the same time. I pray you will join us as we begin our journey rediscovering that there is nothing more glorious in all the world than being a follower of Christ. — Pastor Chad
The Jewish people were privileged and given priority in so many ways. God birthed the nation. They were brought forth by God from the barren wombs of Sarah and Rebekah. They were led by God out of Egypt. They had seen His power and might and grace. Even more than this, they had been given His Word. God had spoken to the nation and given them His Word on tablets of stone. They received so many privileges and so many blessings. Instead of these great privileges leading them to the feet of Jesus, they became a basis of defense against their need of salvation. We are not immune from this same mentality. We, too, have been given privileges. Not in the same way as Israel, but privileges, nonetheless. All the privileges that God has given, without salvation through faith in Christ, will not save us, but ultimately rise up against us on the last day and pronounce us guilty. I pray that you will join us this weekend as we continue our study in Romans. This weekend we will also have the privilege of participating in communion. Weekend worship is a Friday decision. Make the decision now to be part of God’s people as we gather around His Word and sing His praises.— Pastor Chad
The Jewish people were privileged and given priority in so many ways. God birthed the nation. They were brought forth by God from the barren wombs of Sarah and Rebekah. They were led by God out of Egypt. They had seen His power and might and grace. Even more than this, they had been given His Word. God had spoken to the nation and given them His Word on tablets of stone. They received so many privileges and so many blessings. Instead of these great privileges leading them to the feet of Jesus, they became a basis of defense against their need of salvation. We are not immune from this same mentality. We, too, have been given privileges. Not in the same way as Israel, but privileges, nonetheless. All the privileges that God has given, without salvation through faith in Christ, will not save us, but ultimately rise up against us on the last day and pronounce us guilty. I pray that you will join us this weekend as we continue our study in Romans. This weekend we will also have the privilege of participating in communion. Weekend worship is a Friday decision. Make the decision now to be part of God’s people as we gather around His Word and sing His praises.— Pastor Chad
Paul spends a lot of time explaining the sinfulness of man. It is the focus of our text this week and for the next several weeks. In my study, I have often thought to myself, why can’t we just get this in one verse? Why not just summarize it in a paragraph? Why three chapters drilling down on the sinfulness of man? Then the Spirit reminds me that until we have plummeted the depths of our sinfulness, we will not fully appreciate the depths of God’s mercy and grace. Until we are aware of our guilt, we may sing about amazing grace, but we will not feel that grace is amazing. In this text, Paul takes ALL of us to the depths. We are all brought to the point of crying out for mercy and then we find ourselves in a position to rejoice in the sheer blessedness and relief of the good news of Jesus Christ. It is going to be a great weekend together in worship and the study of God’s Word. I pray that you will join us. Now more than ever we need Christ, and we need each other. — Pastor Chad
Paul spends a lot of time explaining the sinfulness of man. It is the focus of our text this week and for the next several weeks. In my study, I have often thought to myself, why can’t we just get this in one verse? Why not just summarize it in a paragraph? Why three chapters drilling down on the sinfulness of man? Then the Spirit reminds me that until we have plummeted the depths of our sinfulness, we will not fully appreciate the depths of God’s mercy and grace. Until we are aware of our guilt, we may sing about amazing grace, but we will not feel that grace is amazing. In this text, Paul takes ALL of us to the depths. We are all brought to the point of crying out for mercy and then we find ourselves in a position to rejoice in the sheer blessedness and relief of the good news of Jesus Christ. It is going to be a great weekend together in worship and the study of God’s Word. I pray that you will join us. Now more than ever we need Christ, and we need each other. — Pastor Chad
How to take the next step in love, care for, and serve others spiritually can be a paralyzing thought - there are so many options, there is so much to do, and everyone is different. This week, Nick helps us see how the Apostle Paul viewed his role as a spiritual leader of the Thessalonian church, and ways he modeled for us to do the same for those God is calling us to influence!
There are so many people, who are saying so many things, about so many people - you and I included, and the Apostle Paul included. How do we know what to believe and who to believe it about? The apostle Paul argues authenticity is displayed, and can be defended, through ones character before God and people - through what and how they consistently and lovingly preach! Listen for the deets as we hear from Senior Pastor Chad McDonald.
As we jump into the book of 1 Thessalonians, Pastor Mike Bickley challenges us with the question, "Are YOU a gospel movement?" The gospel works powerfully in many ways, primarily moving through people who radically trust in one person and one way, Jesus.
Our new series UPSIDE DOWN kicks off this week! When looking at the Scriptures, at the life of Jesus, the disciples, and other biblical characters, their faith and life look radical, and can seem unattainable. --> It's not!! This series we are going to examine the reason and the way that people, communities, and the world was changed as recorded in the book of 1 Thessalonians.
The last view we take a look at in our series is Politics - with a recent debate and more to come, as an onslaught of advertisements hit us, and as things heat up politically for the election, listen here for a message from the Scriptures of how believing in and following Jesus will provide a better way than the world offers, to walk confidently, wisely, and hopefully through this political season, as well as ANY of life's circumstances.
With all the decisions we face that hold implication on the future ahead, we need real helpful wisdom for navigating. God agrees - and wants to give wisdom generously, see how God gives it and who He gives it to, and who He gives it through here >>
The crippling grips of stresses and anxieties are felt by all, and they affect our view. How and where do we go to see clearly once again, so we can move ahead victoriously? See how here ->
Having a laidback and even indifferent attitude and demeanor makes things easy in life.. but is it helpful? Does it truly love? Does it really believe? Can it be counted on? Listen for more ->>>>
Listen to this weeks message on trusting God with our work and its' results! We can spin our wheels, can grind and hustle, but ultimately, if God isn't building what we are doing, we work in vain. How can we work in a way that lasts, that's meaningful, and find rest at the same time?
This new series is a look at some of the most common worldviews that young adults have, and that commonly take over our thoughts and decisions. Starting first and perhaps foremost, a mindset driven by materialism. It's the air we breathe whether we like it or not... How can we fight it, and instead live a truly peaceful, content, and spiritually rich life?
The road from singleness to marriage looks different from individual to individual, and no two relationships are identical. So how can we be sure we are ready for marriage, and healthy for marriage, to have a successful marriage? Listen here for the answer!
What kind of woman is ready to marry? What is she like, how does she love, what are her expectations of love and marriage? This week we focus on the ladies! We hope you are encouraged to grow in godliness, and challenged to surrender more and more to Jesus who IS love!
What kind of man is ready to marry? What makes him ready to lead his wife and family, to love his wife and family. MANY THINGS - Around the topic of dating and marriage, this week we hone in on the guys, and hope to spur the guys on to be God's man, and help the ladies know who the godly men are, so we can all pursue relationships in wisdom.
This week we focus on the men - what does God have to say about a man who is prepared and ready to be a godly husband. Men, listen to be challenged and sharpened as you pursue growth. Women, let God's words be what transforms your mind as you evaluate who is dateworthy and marriage-worthy.
The main way most find love today is through what we call "dating" (obvi). The way we've chosen for people to find love in our culture has it's benefits, but also comes with difficulties, especially when we are aiming to live a life pleasing to God. This week we will highlight some common thoughts about dating that we all have been tempted to believe in one way or another, and see how the God who made us is more helpful than we could ask or imagine when it comes to our love life.
Kicking off our love and relationships series, we dive into understanding what is foundational for success when it comes to love. God has modeled and designed love perfectly, so this week we investigate what the purest, truest, deepest love looks like, straight from the source of our God who is love.
Our experiences with our earthly fathers all differ in many ways - but they all relate in one way: that our fathers are imperfect. This points and directs us to look to a perfect Father in heaven, who always leads us to good, made us to be like him, to share in life giving relationship forever and ever with Him.
Oftentimes when people hear "God is the Judge", they think of God as either a cosmic killjoy or angry policeman. That is a very different picture from how God's character is portrayed through the Bible. God is actually described as being a fair, impartial and perfect judge; one who not only punishes evil to protect others, but who also rewards those who would seek to do good. We can be confident and entrust our desires for justice to him. But there's a flip to that: we will all appear before God one day and be judged for how we live our lives. If that's the case, we want to be confident before the Judge. Come check out Week 4 of our Mighty series as we talk about the character of God as a Judge.
Do you ever feel like you are being tested? Proverbs 17:3 tells us that just like silver and gold are refined in the crucible, God likewise refines human hearts. God uses trials and hardship, even brings them into our lives, in order to help us reflect his image and his glory. If you are going through difficult circumstances, God wants you to know that there is a plan and a purpose for your life, and that He is using that to bless you in the long run. Come listen to Week 2 of our series "Mighty" as we look at what 1 Peter 1:3-8 tell us about God as a refiner.
Do you know God's plan for your eternity? People are compelled by well-written stories. We are naturally drawn to arcs and conflicts, themes and resolutions that resonate within our hearts. As the Creator, God has written the story, not only of human history, but of our salvation and faith as well. In His Word He is described as the Author and Perfecter of our faith. If you want to know God's will and plan for your life, come check out Week 1 of our series "Mighty" as we look at Ephesians 1 to learn about the character of God and how He powerfully works in our lives.
Many people, after a life-changing experience, say that they have a "new lease on life." Their views and habits can be radically transformed because of their new perspectives. In Colossians 3, Paul says that we have not just a new lease on life, but a new life altogether. This causes us to put away the "old self" and put on the "new self: which is never just lip service. As Luke walks us through Colossians 3:1-17, come listen to what the Bible says this new life ought to be like.
Is weed a sin? Is alcohol a sin? What does the Bible say about this? What about other areas such as sexual sin? How do I know if I'm hearing God's voice or my own or worse? Y'all asked some great questions. As we wrap up our Faithfully Asked Questions series, come check out Week 3 as Luke, Nick and Karrington share what God's Word has to say on a variety of topics.
Have you ever wondered how do we know if someone has the Spirit? What does that even mean? What does it mean to walk by faith, and how do I navigate relationships as a follower of Jesus? Those are excellent questions, and the truth to answering all of them can be found in God's Word. Last week, y'all sent in over 80 questions! Come join us for Week 2 of FAQs as Luke and Karrington respond to your questions about what it means to live day to day as a Christian and a young adult.
Questions are common in the Christian life. Everyone is trying to learn, figure out what the Bible says, and grow in our faith. We know that young adults have a lot of questions in particular, so we wanted to create a time for you to ask your questions! In Week 1 of Faithfully Asked Questions, we had questions about how to walk with God, how to pray, and how to deal with sin. Come check out these FAQs as Nick gives a couple responses along with a couple Block leaders and faithful men and women of God!
"Jesus is Lord." You might have heard this often growing up, or it might be new to you. However, the question for us is: what does that mean? Do we acknowledge that He is Lord and go on living our life? The Apostle Paul says that we are to grow in this truth and be rooted in Christ. There are all kinds of ideas and philosophies about how to live on this Earth, but God calls us to be undistracted and to focus our minds and hearts on the truth of the gospel every day. Come check out Week 4 of our Colossians series as we see what it means to be "rooted in Christ."
Everyone is competing for something. Whether you are athletic or not, competitive or not, each of us are striving to succeed in things that we think will bring us fulfillment. In fact, the Christian life is described in athletic terms over 50 times positively in the New Testament. There is something about a competition or a race that conveys the truth that God has for our lives. So the question is: how are you running, and what are you running toward? In Week 3 of our Colossians series, come listen as Nick talks about what it means to compete for the gospel.
Who is Jesus? Many think of him as a kind teacher, or a historical figure, or a theoretical idea. In reality, He is much more than we can begin to imagine. But why does it matter to us? A.W. Tozer said that "what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about a person". If you have a small view of Jesus, your perception of his sacrifice for you and concern for your life will never amount to much. But if you have a big view of Jesus, then you'll begin to understand just why He is the most important person in all of eternity. Come check out Week 2 of Colossians as Nick takes us through the awe and love of Jesus Christ.
We all hope for a lot of things: nice weather, another Chiefs Super Bowl, or the perfect vacation. But what do we hope IN? Jesus says that our hope and treasure determine the safety of our heart, but how do we know where to hope? In Colossians 1:1-14, the Apostle Paul writes that we can have a hope in heaven that leads to a fully pleasing life, both to God and to us. Come check out Week 1 of Colossians as Nick Swearingen takes us through what it means to put our hope in Jesus and His kingdom.
Grief is one of the most powerful emotions that we face. Whether it's due to changing life circumstances, job loss, breakups all the way to death of a loved one, loss and sorrow can be overwhelming emotionally. Unfortunately, less than half of all Americans would say they know how to grieve. God in His Word has a lot to say about grief, but it goes farther: God is actually near to the broken-hearted and is acquainted with grief Himself. If you are grieving, have bottled up grief, or have a friend who is mourning loss, come check out John 11 with us as we look at God's purpose for our grief and how He comforts us in our sorrow.
Loneliness hits all of us: now or in upcoming life changes. Gen Z is reported as being the loneliest generations, and while we haven't been tracking loneliness across all generations, we do know that so many young adults feel isolated and trapped. When we are alone, we are so much more likely to believe lies instead of God's Word. Thankfully God gives us a roadmap to intimacy with Him and deep community with others, even in the midst of feeling lonely. So whether you are lonely now or coming up to a season of life change, come check out Week 2 of Mixed Emotions as we look at God's design for us to combat loneliness and bring it to Him.
Emotions can be difficult to navigate and cloud our best judgments. At the same time, we know that God created us as emotional beings. In our series Mixed Emotions, we'll be looking at roadmaps in Scripture of how to follow God in the midst of emotional highs and lows, starting off with shame. Shame is something that most people carry, but never learn to fully bring up to God. The Apostle Peter was similarly familiar with the experience of failure and shame, and yet we see God restore him in John 21. Come check out Week 1 of Mixed Emotions as we look at how God wants to inform and heal our shame and help us live for Him.
Oftentimes we hear that life is difficult and that hard times will come - God Himself even acknowledges this. Many people want to persevere through troubles, but besides white knuckling and gritting our teeth through life, very few of us know what this looks like day to day. If you want to know how to hold on for the long haul - through financial troubles, relationship conflicts, and job stresses - come check out our final week of Practically Speaking as we close out the book of James, looking at what it means to Practically Persevere.
You will not live this life forever. This isn't something we like to think about often and can seem somewhat morbid. However, God's Word says that it's the realization that we don't know how long we have on this Earth that leads to wisdom. James 3-5 talks about two kinds of wisdom: one that lives for eternity, and one that only lives for the here and now. God is also clear: you might find temporary success with worldly wisdom, but ultimately it leads you down the path of pride. If you are wondering: how do I know what happens after I die AND how should that shape my life, this week's Practically Speaking message is for you!
Our desires in our hearts, our different passions in this world are waging a war against us, against our relationship to God. Our honorary guest speaker Ryan Manring shows here how befriending the ways of the world around us is cheating on the creator and generous God, who desires to save us and be in relationship with Him. While we all are found guilty, He gives more grace. Hear the good news in this weeks message from the Block KC
"We make every effort to see the hope of Jesus change the world and the local church through the lives of young adults." The Block KC was started and continues to this end, as we desired to be faithful to our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Listen to this short, special message to learn more about our "why", and consider joining us and many other brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who live to be used by God to change the world!
James 3 is one of the most helpful places in the Bible for understanding our tongues - understanding the power of our words. Grab a Bible and listen along as we see the importance and impact of our words, and to see how God calls us to a better way of speaking and living.
The book of James in the Bible is a favorite of many because it gets right to the point - and that’s what our first message in this series does. Difficulties are inevitable, our faith gets tested, and we are prone to wander. How do we trust God and have joy through it all? That’s what James intends to help us with, listen here to find out how!
We all know laziness is bad. But, do we know why we are so often prone to be lazy? God’s Word teaches us some often overlooked wisdom: laziness is linked to fear and takes place in the battleground of our minds. As young adults, we might feel tempted to fill up our time and schedules to avoid laziness and procrastination, but really the Bible says the true answer is diligence and trust. Come check out our final week of our Sin series as we look at God’s wisdom of how to seek life and responsibility and put laziness to death.
For young adults, few challenges can be harder than watching your peers seemingly outpace you in life goals or milestones. Whether it’s relationships, possessions, or career, it can be a challenge to not compare ourselves to others. God has a lot to say about the rottenness of envy, but also about the life that is found in contentment. Come check out Week 6 of Sin, as we talk about how to fight envy.
Few sins erode trust faster than dishonesty and deceit. Yet, lying and the distortion of the truth is often treated as a trivial matter-or even a necessity. On the other hand, integrity is costly in the moment, but leads to a clear conscience. God graciously gives the option of integrity to us, and encourages us to avoid deceit by sharing all of its damaging ends. Come check out Week 5 of our Sin series as we look at Genesis 20 and the contrast of integrity and dishonesty.
One of the most destructive traits a young professional can allow in their life is pride. Pride will eat away at a healthy job, healthy friendship, healthy romance, and especially a healthy walk with Jesus. Self-focus can look like an overinflated ego or a paralyzing sense of insecurity. But freedom is found when we step out of the spotlight through humility and self-forgetfulness. Come check out Week 4 of Sin as we look at 1 Samuel 18 for examples of how to point glory to God rather than desire it for ourselves.
Week 3 of this series is all about relationship - God created us to be relational beings, who desire to love and be loved. The sin that often gets in the way of receiving love and produces hatred and anger is bitterness. When it comes to getting payback, desiring justice, or wanting to act out in revenge, bitterness-and unforgiveness- is at the root deep in our hearts. Listen to hear how believing in Jesus and entrusting justice to God will help you live a life full of love and peace with flourishing relationships all around.
In the second week of our “Sin” series, we address the elephant in the room of a room full of Young Adults. The statistics themselves show that lustful addiction is one of the crippling vices of our generation. Listen and see how Gods design for sex, intimacy, desire, and marriage are beautiful and honorable, and that healing from the grips and damage of lust are offered to you by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Everyone is worshipping something, whether we know it or not. However, in our modern world, idol worship seems to be foreign and disconnected from our day to day experiences. But idolatry is a lot more subtle than that, and so much more devious. By replacing God in our lives, we throw off the center and balance of our hearts. God has a much better plan, and by focusing our attention on His loving kindness and goodness to us, we can learn to flee idolatry as young professionals.
In the church, people often talk about wanting to be Spirit-led. But what does this mean? If you're not a Christian, this probably sounds overly confusing or mysterious. If you are a Christian, you might want Spirit-led preaching or Spirit-led worship. Does this mean it needs to go on for hours and be unplanned? Or is being Spirit-led just getting the right feeling about something. We see a very clear picture in God's Word that isn't clearly reflected in a lot of the use around us. Come check out our final week of The Holy Spirit as God's Word answers "what does it mean to be Spirit-led?"
Following Jesus is a high call: dying to self, loving one another, and fighting sin. If we aren't careful, we can get the mindset that we need to power through on our own or that we are supposed to clean ourselves up. Thankfully, God empowers us to live this way by giving us the Holy Spirit to live within us. In John 14, Jesus Himself describes the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If you have ever wanted clarity and confidence about if you have the Holy Spirit, who He is, and what role He plays in your life, then come join us for Week 2 of our series on The Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is God, part of the Trinity, but there can be a lot of uncertainty about His role and presence. Maybe you don't know that He was a promise, or maybe you don't know much about God at all, but God's Word brings clarity into confusion. The day of Pentecost was a huge day in salvation history because it's the first day that God lived IN His people, and there are great implications because of that. If you want to know what does it mean to receive the Holy Spirit and what does it lead to, come check out Week 1 of our series on the Holy Spirit as we check out Acts 2 and a broad look of the Bible as a whole.
What does it mean to be a man? There are a plethora of opinions and ideas on what manhood and masculinity truly are, and yet so many of them fall short, often doing damage to men and those around them. Thankfully, God's Word is not silent on the topic of manhood. He gives a clear outline from the beginning of time what He created men for, and He gives us those details in Genesis 2 and 3. If you're a man and look for truth on what you are called to, or you're a lady looking for godly characteristics in a future spouse, come check out Week 5 of our Real Life series as we finish up with a look at what it means to be a Real Life Man of God.
Ever wonder what real biblical womanhood actually looks like? Culture has all kinds of opinions and thoughts on how women should act, think, and behave, and it can be confusing, frustrating, and maybe even discouraging to sort through to find the truth. Thankfully, God, who created women in His image, has a beautiful design and plan for women to follow. Women have a special role in the church and in society at large, so join us for Week 4 of our Real Life series as we invite our Women's Director, Karrington Anderson, to chat with Luke about what it means to be a Real Life woman of God.
The real world is full of responsibility and work to do, and while that is a privilege, it does highlight our need for rest. However, our world often seeks distraction and diversion over true rest and restoration. As a result, young adults often seek rest from sources that only lead to further tiredness, apathy, or even stress. Because of this, we need someone to guide us to rest. Thankfully, in Psalm 23, God says that He is our shepherd who restores our souls: both in good times and in hard times. Come check out Week 3 of our Real Life series as we talk about how to have Real Life Rest through God and His gifts to us.
One of the biggest parts of living as an adult is work. In fact, most statistics would say that we spend over 40% of our time doing some kind of work, whether that's our jobs, volunteering, housework, or managing finances. Unfortunately, our world oftentimes presents two equally unhelpful views of work: idolatry or idleness. The option can seem as if we either need to workaholics who never take a break, OR continual break-takers who never seem to work hard. Thankfully, God's design for work is neither. Come check out Week 2 of our Real Life series as we look at how the Bible teaches us about Real Life Work, not from our own ability, but by the grace of God.
Let's face it: navigating life as a young professional is a challenge. Between work, finances, play and living situations, finding a community of people to connect with and get real often gets pushed to the back burner. However, we were made for community, and God's Word is far from silent on the subject. In fact, it is impossible to follow God wholeheartedly and not be in a Christ-centered church and community. The Apostle Paul in Galatians 6 shares key truths about how to live in a real way with real connections to real people, and the life that comes with living in this way. Come check out Week 1 of our Real Life series as we talk about how to have real life community.
As we finish out Jesus' Greatest Hits, it's only fitting that we close with the most pivotal story in His life, the Bible, and human history: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many have heard this story, and many haven't. But why is it such a big deal? How does it relate to my life as a young adult? Did you know that the Apostle Paul tells us that without the resurrection, the whole of Christianity would be worthless. If you want to know why Jesus died and why it's even better news that He rose again, come check out Week 4 of Jesus' Greatest Hits from the Block KC.
Jesus claims that He is the light of the world, but what does that mean? How does that relate to a man who was born without ever being able to see light in the first place? Jesus gives light to both our physical and spiritual realities; if you have ever found yourself asking why things happen, God's Word has an answer for you. Come check out Week 3 of Jesus' Greatest Hits as we take a look at John 9 and Jesus' claims that He is God and that He is the light of the world. As always we'll see you next week, Thursday at 7pm!
One of the most famous miracles of Jesus is found in Matthew 14, where He walks on water to his disciples. But did you know that it was in the middle of a storm to help his disciples? All of us have gone, are going, or will go through the storms of life, and God wants us to be firmly rooted in Him. If you have ever felt like your life was out of control, there is good news: a good God is in control of the storms in your life, and He offers a way through. Come check out Week 2 of Jesus' Greatest Hits as we talk about how to survive the storms of life by keeping our focus on Jesus.
Ever felt run down, stressed and like you're running on empty? God promises that we could have life to the full, but it can be rare that we experience that truth in our day to day lives. When Jesus was on Earth, crowds of hungry people followed Him seeking to be full, and He fed thousands with only a few loaves and fish. In the same way, Jesus wants to meet our needs. If you are looking for satisfaction in any area of your life, come check out Week 1 of Jesus' Greatest Hits as we study the story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand.
The Bible gives us a lot of examples of men and women who had great faith- but is that same faith possible for us? It is, if you know how to run. God says that all of us are on a race trying to get closer to God: some of us are at the wrong starting line, some of us are running with extra weight, and some of us are wandering around in circles. Thankfully, God gives us the perfect example of faith through His Son Jesus Christ. Come check out the finale to our Footsteps of the Fatihful series as we look at Jesus' faith in the Father, and how to run unhindered.
Young professionals face many choices each day. From big choices about jobs and plans to small choices about social plans and time management, we are bombarded by our surroundings and our own selves to make up our minds. God says plainly that faith is a choice, but what does that mean for us, and how do we choose faith? Moses is a great example: when faced with all the status, treasure and pleasure the ancient world had to offer, he chose faith in God. Listen to week 3 of our Footsteps of the Faithful series to find out how to choose faith over everything.
We are all building our lives on something: our own plans, our parents' hopes, our friends' interests, or countless other options and opinions. But how do we know if we chose the right foundation? Abraham and Sarah lived by faith, and although they lived 4000 years ago, their lives are still an example of choosing the right foundation: God's Promises. In this week's message, we'll look at what God has promised to His followers for their present realities and future hopes, as well as how to live life in response to those promises. Join us and listen in to Week 2 of our Footsteps of the Faithful series, and we hope to see you in person Thursday nights at 7 pm!
We all have faith in something. Whether it's our bank accounts, an upcoming vacation, a future romance, ourselves or God, we are each building our lives on faith. But what is faith exactly? And what does it look like to live by faith? In the first week of our new series, Footsteps of the Faith, we answer these questions as we look at the life of a man named Abel. Hebrews 11 highlights key parts of Abel's faith, and in turn, shows us how to live by faith as well.
Like all things the Creator God has created, marriage was created for a good reason and for a good purpose. However, in the world we live in, understanding and living in that purpose is a challenge, with endless opinions on love and differing "wisdom" when it comes to what Marriage is. God in His kindness has revealed its reason and purpose, look with us in this message as we look how God's way is better than any other, all the more reason to trust in Jesus.
Dating in today's world is full of questions: everything from "should I even date this person" to "how do we date without getting our hearts broken" to "when should we get engaged?" With all kinds of advice from friends, family, and media giving confusing or even conflicting messages, we are often left wanting a guide in navigating romance. God Himself designed romance, and His Word is a simple, although challenging, guide for how to find love and navigate the mystery of romance. Check out our third installment of the "Before I Do" series where we take a look at Jesus' words to us and how it relates to our love lives.
We all have an innate desire to be satisfied, but what happens when we try to fill that need with love that doesn't fill? Love, sex, and dating can be challenges for young adults when we try to find our own path to satisfaction. This is nothing new, as Jesus actually met a woman who was living the same way with unhealthy relationships 2000 years ago. Join us for our second talk in the Before I Do series, as we learn the dangers of dating thirsty and the satisfaction that comes from knowing God.
For young adults, there are very few topics that are more challenging to navigate than love, dating and looking for marriage. However, we don't have to be in the dark; God's Word has truths for us in each stage of a relationship: even being single. Let's be honest: singleness can be scary. There are a lot of fears associated with being alone, missing out on love, being unloved, or never getting married. While we are all looking for love, the Bible reminds us that ultimately God is the one who loves us perfectly, and His Words to us can expose these fears and bring them into the light, so that we can trust Him in the dark.
The Bible teaches that there is a daily war waged in our minds, but oftentimes it can feel as if this battle is always going to be a losing one. Young adults are constantly bombarded with intrusive or unwanted thoughts from without and within. However, God's Word also teaches that there is hope for our thoughts, and his name is Jesus. Check out the finale to our Mindfull series as we look at how the good news of Jesus gives us a battle plan for our minds.
Nobody shapes our thoughts and actions (for better or for worse) as much as our closest friends. So what does God have to say about who we should surround ourselves with? In 2023, it feels like meaningful relationships are hard to come by. Despite being more connected than ever, young adults face increasing rates of loneliness. This week in our Mindfull series we’re examining some of the ways that God desires for us to be known and to use His people in our lives to point us back to Jesus.
Our thoughts dictate our actions and the outcome of our lives, but what happens when we don't know what to think? Or worse, what happens when we realize that our thoughts are wrong? Absolute truth is an uncomfortable idea to wrestle with at first, but when we begin to see that God is good and He created truth, our minds can be put at ease. In the second week of our Mindfull series, we'll be looking at how God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and how we can shift our mindsets to be more in line with what God has planned for us.
Very few things shape the outcome of our lives like our thoughts do. Young adults are daily confronted with choices of what to think and how to think, but God's Word doesn't leave us in the dark. Come listen in the the Block's 2023 kick off, as we look at what God has to say about why our thoughts matter, and why it's important that we audit not only what we think about, but also what we put into our minds with the content we consume. ------------------------------The Block KC is the young adult ministry of Lenexa Baptist Church and Journey Bible Church, and exists to help young adults build their lives on what counts by applying the truth of God's Word and cultivating true community. Come join us in person on Thursday nights at 7, and check us out on our Instagram, @theblock.kc
Ever wonder where the phrase "my body is a temple" comes from? It's much more than fitness jargon from personal trainers. It goes all the way back to the building of God's temple in the Bible, and it has to do with the fact that God wants to live with humanity. If you ever feel far from God, His Word spends time informing us of His desire to have a personal relationship with you. Come learn what it means to truly be God's Temple in our final talk of the year and the last talk in our ID series.
Oftentimes, challenges in life can cause us to question our purpose or doubt our value. However, the Bible speaks very clearly to both of these issues, telling us our value that is given by God AND the purpose He has marked out for us. Join us as we take a look at God's thoughts on finding your true worth and calling in our fourth installment of the ID series.
Are you an alien? Of the identities that the Bible gives Christians, this may be one of the strangest on the surface level. What God is actually saying, though, is that followers of Jesus have a different citizenship, and therefore, look different from the rest of the world. If you've ever wondered, why are my friends who follow Jesus different, or why as a follower of Jesus am I NOT different enough, this talk is for you.
The Block KC exists to help young adults build their lives on what counts. 20s and 30 somethings--Join us every other Thursday at 7 to hear a talk about God and His Word, and to connect and reflect on what it means to follow Jesus. theblockkansascity.com
The Block KC exists to help young adults build their lives on what counts. 20s and 30 somethings--Join us every other Thursday at 7 to hear a talk about God and His Word, and to connect and reflect on what it means to follow Jesus. theblockkansascity.com
What is fun? How would you define it? How would the Bible describe it? Are you seeking fake freedom and real consequences, or true freedom and abundant life?
Christians are often labeled as hypocrites. Join us as we look at the book of Galatians to fight to be who God has called us to be.
An influential spiritual leader named Simon was dining with Jesus when a weeping prostitute interrupted them. How Jesus responded--the question He asked Simon and his remark for the woman--gives us valuable insight into His heart regarding judgment. Which character in the story are you?
Some over-spiritualize their life troubles and some under-spiritualize them, but the Bible presents a reality that there is a spiritual enemy who is actively fighting to destroy you. Have we been left helpless? We break down Paul’s metaphor in Ephesians 6 to ascertain how God has equipped us not only to defend ourselves but to fight back.
Last words are powerful. Paul concludes his farewell letter reflecting on his life and offering Timothy a final charge. Was it all worth it for Paul, to lose what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose? Is it worth it for you?
Sin is fun and feels good in the moment, but it can blindside us with its unforeseen consequences. Paul begins chapter 3 of his letter lovingly warning Timothy against specific character traits with a list that might as well have been written yesterday. Of the 18 traits listed, we highlight 5 particularly relevant deadly sins, the lie that each sells, the danger of each, and how to practically fight back.
God can accomplish his purposes without us, yet he invites us to partner with him. Why? We continue our walk through 2 Timothy by looking intently at how Paul exhorts Timothy to live intentionally and make disciples and how we can experience the same joy and abundance of life that Paul relished.
With his execution impending, Paul begins his final letter by reminding Timothy that God has not only given Timothy a gift through his faith in Jesus, but also the means to use that gift to the full. In light of Paul’s encouragement, we consider how the gift of the Spirit of God empowers us to take courage and live unashamedly in today’s cultural climate.
MISCONCEPTIONS - If it is true that you will be dead much longer than you will be alive, certain questions become infinitely important: can heaven be real? Who gets to go? How and when is it determined? In our series finale, we peel back the layers of this misconception to pinpoint any underlying truth and survey God’s Word for answers.
MISCONCEPTIONS - King Solomon had everything: immense wealth, prodigious power, limitless wisdom, and innumerable wives, yet fulfillment proved fleeting. In Week 2 of our Misconceptions series, we analyze Solomon’s autobiographical account of his pursuit of satisfaction and compare his search for the source of life to the words of his father David found in Psalm 19.
MISCONCEPTIONS - If only you had that one thing, you might truly be happier: more vacation, more likes, more money, etc. But for how long? Saturated by a culture addicted to more, we search the words of Jesus and Paul for God’s redefinition of and prescription for happiness that will last.
The question is not whether you will encounter hard times in life (spoiler alert: you will), but whether the way you navigate and endure painful circumstances will result in exhaustion or refreshment. In our Headspace series finale, we inspect the role discipline played in the way Daniel trusted God in the face of great adversity and consider the role it plays in our quest for a healed, peace-filled headspace.
With anxiety, the question isn’t often “if” as much as it is “what is it now?” Work, family, finances—there’s never a shortage of sources. We seek respite through various means, but true rest still feels elusive. Fortunately, God cares deeply about the needs of his people, according to the words of Jesus in Matthew 6, so He tells us exactly what to seek instead.
Do you ever feel alone, worthless, or irreparable, or simply unable to get out of bed? You are not alone. Depression is on the rise—if you haven’t experienced these struggles, someone you love likely has—but it is not new, and the Bible is not silent on the issue. Listen in to learn how the Psalm writers processed their despair and what Jesus promises the weary and the broken. Then, a powerful, real-life example of God’s grace in the midst of depression and suicidal thoughts.
You work hard to exude confidence and stability, but if you’re anything like so many others our age, just below the surface lies a growing sense of uncertainty and anxiety about your abilities, identity, and worth.
Through the story of Moses and his feeling of inadequacy in Exodus 3-4, we explore the insidious roots of insecurity, its manifestations, and God’s solution.
You know what you’re looking for and you think you’ve found it, so what now? Though the Bible doesn’t speak specifically about dating, it is full of principles to guide every type of relationship. Through the lens of five of these principles, we walk step-by-step through the practicals of moving from single to married in this actionable Save the Date series finale
According to God, an excellent wife is worth far more than rubies, but what makes a wife excellent? In week 3 of our Save the Date series, we distill excellence into five characteristics esteemed in the Proverbs—traits for women to cultivate and for men to prioritize in a potential spouse
While the list of characteristics separating boys from men is extensive, the most important distinguishing traits might be different than what you think. In Talk 2 of our Save the Date series, we examine five key traits that every girl should be looking for in a future spouse and, in turn, that every guy should be aspiring to grow in and develop to become a Five-Star Man.
No one aspires to a broken marriage. When done right, the rewards of a mutually uplifting relationship are undeniable. Yet so many relationships end in disaster, both parties going their separate ways with nothing to show for it but unanswered questions, unfulfilled promises, and deep hurts. Is there a better way? For this answer, we must go all the way back to the first pages of the Bible to see how God designed relationships, how that design has been distorted, and what hope we still have.
As young adults, we are all investing in something: for some, it’s a house, a graduate degree, a retirement account, or an NFT collection of Apes and Punks; for others, it’s career success, relationships, or comfort. Paul tells the Galatians their investments will reap either destruction or eternal life. How are you investing?
As young adults, we are all investing in something: for some, it’s a house, a graduate degree, a retirement account, or an NFT collection of Apes and Punks; for others, it’s career success, relationships, or comfort. Paul tells the Galatians their investments will reap either destruction or eternal life. How are you investing?