C4 | Calvary Young Adults: Recent Episodes
Calvary Church Pa
C4 is a gathering of Young adults ages 18-30 that meets every Tuesday evening for the purpose of being inspired to Pursue Life in Christ. We do this by hearing from God’s word, worshiping God, and interacting with one another.
We are surrounded by invisible realities. The realities of heaven, hell, angels, and demons and the after life. But do their presence change the way we live? Jesus thought they should. Come explore Luke 12 with us and see how our lives are to be shaped by eternity.
God is at work in all the realms he has created, in heaven and on earth, and angels are at the heart of the story of God. Come examine the nature and purpose of the angelic realm, and be encouraged by how the spiritual realm is at work all around us. A Q&A follows the message.
Our God is a God of purpose, but often we struggle to understand the purposes of God, especially the purpose of hell. Tonight see that hell exists to exalt the justice of God, echo the glory of God, and exalt the love of God. A Q&A follows the message.
Jesus gives us a preview of coming invisible realities, including both heaven and hell. Jesus' first NT sermon was on hell, and He spends more time on hell than heaven. Tonight we look at Jesus' teaching on this imminent judgment for all unbelievers, and examine the nature of hell, which is a real, painful, and eternal place. A Q&A follows the message.
so what will our experience of heaven be like? Does grandpa pray for me from heaven? Will heaven be boring? What will we do there? Find the answers to these questions and more as we learn what heaven will be like.
We all want to go to heaven? But what is heaven like? Where is it? Who will be there? Why does it exist? Come find out exciting truths about the best place on earth!
The judgment seat of Christ is the final exam for the Christian, where God doles out generous rewards to those who faithfully built their life on the foundation of Christ. Come learn about the judgment seat of Christ and eternal rewards, and be encouraged to live faithfully today to earn eternal rewards tomorrow. A Q&A follows the message.
At the root of the Christian life lies belief in invisible realities and unseen realms. Yet the spiritual world is more real than the temporal world that we inhabit, and as believers we ought to have the utmost interest in heavenly things. Join us as we begin this journey and examine what happens to us when we die and end with a Q&A.
The Christian life is full of storms. Failing to understand this causes some Christians to question God’s love for them. Luckily for us, the disciples faced a literal storm to help us understand and face the storms in our lives. In Mark 4:35-41, we learn about the power and presence of Jesus through a great storm, a great calm, and great fear.
When it comes to salvation, what is my role? What is God's? Come explore Romans 9-11 and see the wonder of God's sovereignty and our own call to action. It will lead you to worship and praise!
When Jesus came he turned every expectation upside down. Come learn the freedom, joy, and salvation that is found in Jesus' upside down kingdom!
Materialism and entitlement have led many of us down a path of discontentment. In this key text, Paul reminds Timothy that the greatest acquisition in this life is godliness with contentment, and exhorts Timothy (and us) to avoid the dangers of the love of money and to pursue contentment in what Christ has given us.
David has great plans to build a temple for God, but God tells him no. His dilemma is true for us as well: we all make plans, and God at torpedoes those plans. Let's learn together how to respond when God calls us to give up our plans to enter into His greater plan.
John Dryden said "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us." Therefore, the goal is to intentionally make habits that form us into Christ's image. Join us as we consider the 9 habits of the intentional Christian life.
Singleness is a hot topic in Christian culture, and a season that many Christians understandably struggle with. But Paul teaches us that every Christian has a God-glorifying purpose, and the path of biblical singleness is a gift that must not be wasted because it affords a better opportunity than marriage to cultivate undivided devotion to God. Join us as we examine Paul's call to value present undivided devotion to God in singleness as a greater desire than present marital union.
We often find ourselves waiting for something in life. Yet seasons of waiting can often leave us frustrated or disappointed. How, then, can we learn to wait well? As we look at Psalm 37 and other places in Scripture, we see the fact of waiting, the dangers of waiting, and hope in waiting.
Our morning and evenings are full of habits, intentional and unintentional. Is the Lord part of your evening rhythm? Come learn from Psalm 4 the ancient evening practices of communing with the Lord.
The problems of life can lead us to lament. David lets his lament lead him to the throne, where he is reminded that salvation belongs to our God.
There is only one King and it’s King Jesus. Psalm 2 reminds us of the foolishness of crowning ourselves king, the expected posture of honor and reverence to King Jesus, and the expectation that all people submit their lives to the true King of Kings.
The very first Psalm confronts us with the fact that every human being is on one of two paths: the path of the righteous resulting in life, or the path of the unrighteous resulting in destruction. The path of the righteous is marked by wise living, and so we see what a wise person is to avoid, what a wise person is to do, and what a wise person is.
Scripture: Psalms 1
Paul expects every believer to trust the gospel of Jesus Christ, live the gospel, and share the gospel. Together we demystify evangelism by explaining the basics of the gospel presentation so that every believer can be confident to explain the saving truth of Jesus. A Q&A session with Adam and Joel is at the end of this episode.
Perhaps the most terrifying words one could hear are "Depart from me I never knew you." We may profess to follow Jesus, but how do we know if our faith is genuine? Paul lays out the marks of true religion in his closing words to the Galatian church. Be reminded what true faith looks like!
Paul expects that our freedom in Christ leads to loving God and loving others. But loving others is a risk and requires us to jump into the mess of life. Risky love restores sinners, bears burdens, and shares sacrificially. Are you willing to risk loving others for the glory of God?
Christians ought to be different from the world because only true Christians can bear fruit from God. As we obey the command to walk in the Spirit, let's examine the fruits of the Spirit that should be increasing in our lives.
Paul gives one of the most important commands in the entire Christian life: Walk in the Spirit. To understand better why and how we do that, we unpack five key words to help us live by the Spirit – Motivation, Source, Battle, Contrast, and Consistency.
Come and learn from Jesus' disciples who struggled (as we do) to remember six key things that should be at the forefront of our lives: Value, Mission, Vision, Time, Place, and Salvation.
As Americans we think we are freedom experts, but we have much to learn. True and biblical freedom is freedom from self-saving and is not about freedom to follow our desires. Come learn about true freedom and the freedom to love others.
Paul uses the story of Sarah and Hagar to illustrate two different ways of approaching religion: human effort vs. divine grace. His Jewish opponents were confident that they were in the correct lineage of Abraham. But Paul demonstrates that they are actually in the line of Hagar, and thus the line of slavery. He challenges the Galatians, and us, who are in the line of Isaac, not to turn back to the slavery of the law. For, in Christ, they are children of the promise and therefore free.
God has adopted us into his family. Why would we want to go back to slavery and reject our Father and our family in Christ? Explore Galatians 4 to learn the secret of resting in God rather than fighting for control.
Many Christians lack assurance of salvation, not because they doubt the power of God, but because they doubt whether that power has saved them. Come and see how the Son came to make many sons, and how the power of adoption provides a basis for biblical assurance.
We say things like the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. The gospel is central. But have we stopped to consider? What is the gospel precisely? Is it the resurrection? Substitutionary atonement? Baptism? What is included? What isn’t necessary? Come find out!
In a world filled with broken relationships, believers are called to embrace oneness by recognizing our need, receiving the gifts of salvation, and walking in the unity created by Christ.
What role does the law play in salvation? How does the law compare to faith? Join us as Paul reveals the limits of the law and brings us to an emphatic conclusion: that faith and promise are superior to the law in every single way.
We become a Christian through the gospel, but are we then done with it? Do we need to focus on our effort now? Is the Christian life the gospel from beginning to end? Come explore Galatians 3 and the gospel defended from beginning to end.
After being entrusted with the gospel, Paul begins to defend the purity and truth of the gospel. Through Paul's confrontation with Peter, we see that we are to defend the gospel against hypocrisy, against barriers to grace, and against misapplication.
Paul recounts that when he made his second visit to Jerusalem, he presented the gospel he was preaching to Peter, James and John. In response, they affirmed both his apostleship and his message. But when some “false brothers” tried to get him to compromise, he did not budge for a moment. This story teaches us that the truth of the gospel is a prerequisite to unity, brings freedom, fuels our mission, and creates compassion.
Text: Galatians 2:1-10
Paul reveals that his personal and gospel authority come directly by way of revelation from God, a truth that is born out in his own testimony. Paul's story compels us to see that God's gospel changes lives, gives us purpose, is authoritative, and is ultimately for his glory.
Text: Galatians 1:10-24
Paul's love for the Galatians compels him to address their shocking choice to desert the one true gospel, a foolish choice with dire consequences. Together, we examine the need to strengthen our faith in the true gospel and guard against the pull to drift away.
Text: Galatians 1:6-10
There is a battle between the true simple gospel and other gospels. We need to be reminded of the simple gospel that Jesus died for our sins, was raised from the dead according to God's will and for God's glory.
Passage: Galatians 1:1-5
The character of God provides a welcome chance to reorient ourselves amidst the discouragements, distractions, and busyness of the holidays. Come see that God is both the Giver and the Gift, and be reminded to worship the Father as the great giver and rejoice in the Spirit as our unique
The church is full of hypocrites or self-righteous fanatics, and the history of the church is littered with injustices and violence. Join us as we examine the heart of God and the failures of his church—and how this is a picture of the Gospel.
In the common story of the healing of the paralytic, we see the transformational reality that this powerful encounter with Jesus happens because of the faith of the friends. How can the strength of your public and intentional faith change someone else's life?
Passage: Mark 2
The Christian faith requires belief in the Bible, but many skeptics question the reliability of the Scriptures. Should we really build our lives around this book? Come explore as we discuss four important steps to increase our trust in the Bible.
Many people object to Jesus' exclusive claim that He is the only way to God, that there is one narrow path to the Father. But is it unfair to claim there really is only one way to heaven through Jesus? And what about those who have never heard of Jesus?
Together we approach this apparent contradiction by examining briefly the Christian teaching on death and hell, followed by seven thoughts to ponder in response to this question. A time of Q&A with Kyle, Adam, and Joel follows the message.
Are Christianity and Science at odds? Come see why they are not enemies, but instead friends. In fact, you need a Christian worldview to do consistent science.
Jesus boldly and audaciously asks his Father to glorify Himself in the High Priestly prayer. Join us to see why the Son deserves such glory and to be challenged to not settle for lesser glories in this life, but to live our lives to the glory of God the Son.
Passage: John 17:1-5
if Jesus isn’t raised from the dead, all of Christianity is a fraud. How can we be convinced of such a crucial fact. Come explore the evidence for the resurrection. A time of Q&A with Joel and David Harrop follows the message.
In a world full of suffering, many have questioned whether the presence of evil disproves God. Together we examine the presence of evil as an argument for God, think through why God might allow suffering, and examine God's solution to the problem of evil. A time of Q&A with Karis, Adam, and Joel follows the message.
Dr. Farnham, Professor of Apologetics at LBC, unpacks and demystifies apologetics by explaining the relationship between apologetics and evangelism, encouraging us to live pure lives while knowing what we believe and why, and ends with giving five steps to share the gospel with anybody. A time of Q&A with Dr. Mark Farnham and Adam follows the message.
How do we find lasting influence in our lives? How do we become great in the kingdom of God? Jesus teaches us and models for us a simple but profound answer: Lead as a Servant.
We are created for good works... a lot of them. How do we do all the good we can for the glory of God? It starts with avoiding the way of the sluggard or the idolater. It continues with practical skills and planning that help us to make the most of every opportunity. Learn what God has to say about time management.
What comes first in your world, work or rest? Which one gives you a sense of identity? What does the Bible say about rest and work? Surprisingly God primarily calls us to rest and he calls us to radical feasting and joy in him.
God is passionately in love with us, but we have played the part of an adulterer and broken his heart, yet he loves us faithfully. Come and hear about God’s wonderful love for you.
In the fight for spiritual formation, join us for a self-assessment to determine whether technology is helping or hurting in you in your quest to be more like Jesus.
Conflict is inescapable in this life. What are practical ways to handle conflict and honor God? The Scriptures instruct us to examine ourselves, seek reconciliation, and go directly to our brother, leading us to end with some practical wisdom.
The apostle Paul says that physical training is of some value, but training in godliness is of great value. Does this mean we shouldn’t care much about the body? Find out what the Bible has to say about our health and food and how we can glorify God in our bodies.
The Scriptures give us much wisdom regarding money because it's a huge part of our daily lives. Join us for a fast-paced bible study on financial responsibility through the lens of contentment, stewardship, and giving to help us grow our own financial stewardship.
Anxiety is a reality that is crippling a generation. However, the anxiety many of us experience can be used as a catalyst for our growth. Join us for a sermon and Q&A that invites us to draw near to God, examine our hearts, and focus on things that matter for eternity.
Passage: Matthew 6
Our world is full of hustle and bustle, leaving most of us with busy lives and exhausted souls. Together we see ourselves in Elijah who found himself with an exhausted soul, and a need to find rest for his soul.
Why pray if God is sovereign? God promises that if we ask in his name, he will do it. So, why doesn't he? Come learn what the Scriptures teach us in response to these tough and provoking questions.
How should the church pray so that we might experience the power of the prayer see in the Scriptures? Together we see the biblical example that we should pray purposefully, pray persistently, pray patiently, and pray practically.
On one hand, prayer is simple. It’s talking to God. On the other hand, we often get it wrong by centering on ourselves, making it individual, and leaving out God. Come learn what it is to pray as Jesus taught us in the Lord’s Prayer.
When we get to heaven, we will all wish we had prayed more. Join us on a fast-paced overview of why prayer matters, how we are to pray, and what holds us back from healthy prayer lives.
Often we want to fully understand God's plan before we make the decision to obey. However, through the surprising story of Naaman, God teaches us that obeying first leads us into the knowledge of God.
Passage: 2 Kings 5
Have you ever wondered what the will of God is for your life? Dr. Murray explains how the will of God is not a mystery, but has already been revealed to us, and details our next steps in response to God's will for our lives.
As we close out the series, we look at the necessary transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant and why it should give us hope for daily living.
Jesus is the greater Moses. The Scriptures come to life when we see how they are interconnected and how Jesus is on every page and how every page helps every other page come to life. Come and enjoy God's Word together!
As the final chapters of Exodus emphasize sacrifices, the priesthood, and God's dwelling with Israel, we see that each of these are shadows that find their permanence and greatest fulfillment in Christ.
Passage: Exodus 35-40
What makes God unique? What sets him apart? It's his radical commitment to being gracious. It's the essence of His name and His glory. See this all unfold in the story of Moses seeing God's glory.
After experiencing the presence of God and the confirmation of the covenant, Israel backslides into idolatry. Learning from Israel, each of us must identify and uproot our idols because idolatry is tempting, easy, foolish and deadly.
Passage: Exodus 32:1-33:6
As the Mosaic covenant with Israel and God is ratified in blood, we are reminded of the reliability of God's promises, as well as the terms and takeaways of the covenant.
Passage: Exodus 24
We often get “law” wrong. We are either too lax or too strict. What is a tight relationship with law. Come learn how right relationship starts with grace, requires doing, centers on God, but doesn’t neglect others.
Passage: Exodus 20-23
As God initiates a covenant with Israel, his holiness is on full display at Sinai—reminding us who He is and How we are to relate to Him.
Passage: Exodus 19
Humanity is so quick to forget. Worship preaches the gospel to our hearts. It reminds us of the faithful love of God. It cuts through the fog of life and reorients us to the truth we so desperately need.
Text: Exodus 15
In the Great Exodus, God's salvation power is revealed to Israel and modeled for us as he sets Israel free from bondage, sets them free by grace, and sets them free through a mediator.
Text: Exodus 14
As the last plague befalls Egypt, death visits all in Israel and Egypt—and eventually us as well. God in his mercy offered provision for Israel through the blood of the Passover Lamb, paving the way for God in his mercy to offer Jesus as the once-for-all Passover Lamb for us.
Scripture Passage: Exodus 11-12
Responding to the doubts and questions as to who He is, the finger of God brings the first nine plagues upon Pharaoh which reveal power, remove doubt, release judgment, and prove He is deserving of glory—all while showing Pharaoh and us that only God has true authority.
Moses' experienced tremendous fear, frailty, and failure as he pursued the call of God. His circumstances led to doubt and led him to question the character of God. When we experience the same feelings of weakness, our God meets us with unending faithfulness just as he did with Moses.
We so often worry about who we are? What is my identity? Have we stopped to consider God's identity? This is vastly more important than our own identity. Come and explore the self-defining God who is sovereign, but committed...separate, but close...good, but just!
Just as the Hebrews felt forgotten and left behind by God during their period of slavery in Egypt, many of us can feel that God is distant during times of waiting and suffering. Together we see a reminder from Exodus that God is providentially working out His plan even when we don't see Him.
Christmas is often thought of as about joy, peace, love, and happiness. Indeed, it is those things, but it is also more. Come explore the hymn O Holy Night and find out about some unusual Christmas themes like submission, longing, and social disruption.
All too often, we think Christmas begins with Jesus in a manger in the gospels. However, join us as we examine the clues that God gave throughout the OT about the coming of His greatest gift, Jesus Christ, in preparation for the first Christmas.
As we wrap up our "Can You Relate" series, join Adam, Karis, Liz, and Joel as we answer some of your submitted questions regarding relationships, singleness, conflict, and sexual identity.
Few things in life are more beautiful or difficult than friendship. Together we discuss love as the foundation of all friendships and encourage us to display the gospel as we voice expectations in friendship, champion one another, and seek out the right types of friends. A time of Q&A with Liz, Karis, Adam, and Joel follows the message.
In contrast to the postmodern beliefs of our age, we look at a biblical perspective of homosexual relationships and gender identity to find that true fulfillment is found in God's design, true purpose is found in holiness, our true identity is found in Jesus, and the sexual ethos of our day has become an open door to the gospel.
Singleness is worse than being married, right? Not according to the Scriptures. Come learn about the honor, benefits, and challenges of singleness from God's perspective. A Q&A session with Liz Rodriguez, Karis, Adam, and Joel follows at the end of the message.
Each of us have different dating experiences, but we want to date wisely and examine biblical principles to consider in this stage of life. We inspect key questions to ask before we date, what the purpose of dating should be biblically, and have some fun as we discuss practical tips as we seek to date well in a Christian subculture. A Q&A session with Joel, Adam and Karis follows the end of the message.
We are called to be peace-makers. Understanding biblical wisdom around conflicts will prepare you to be at peace with all and at peace with God. Come learn 5 biblical principles for handling conflict well. A Q&A session with Joel, Adam, and Karis follows at the end of this sermon.
Peter delivers a firm message regarding the dangers of sexual immorality—what it gives and takes away—and ends by reminding us that there is still hope for everyone. A time of Q&A follows.
In many ways, marriage can seem like the ultimate goal and can become an idol at times. We slow down to look at the seriousness of God's call to marital faithfulness and love, and we set biblical expectations for marriage so that all our future marriages might be posters for the gospel. A Q&A panel discussion follows the message at the end of this podcast.
God created us to be in relationship with others and while that desire is a good thing, we need to first find our identity in Christ, not those relationships. With that foundation in mind, God created sex as a good thing within the institution of marriage, which is a covenant relationship for the glory of God. A Q&A session with Karis, Joel and Adam follows at the end of the message.
How do we live a life sold out for God? It starts with understanding that we've been forgiven and reconciled. When we understand those, we live wholeheartedly for Christ.
Even as we marvel at the incredible attributes of our transcendent God, this text reminds us that the character of our Creator affords us every opportunity for intimacy.
Have you ever doubted that Jesus is God? There are many proofs to consider, but tonight we are going to look at Psalms that prophesied his coming thousands of years before Jesus came. Build your faith. Repent and believe.
After emerging from the waves of suffering and being placed on the high ground, David reflects back and sees our God as the Great Deliverer who is near to His children, for the righteous, and against the wicked--driving him to praise, obedience, and confidence. Passage: Psalm 34
Too often the church fails to provide space to lament, leading many of us to pretend that life is good and faith is easy. This sermon is for the person in the darkness who is navigating the dark night of suffering, the dark night of the soul, and the dark night of our faith---and serves as a reminder that faith can look different in different seasons.
God is speaking all around us, yet we are often deaf to his voice. Awaken to the sound of God's voice all around you as we explore Psalm 19 together.
In this missional psalm, we are encouraged to drink deep of the heart of God for the nations so that our cup runs over in praise to God and passion for the global reach of the gospel.
The psalmist invites the community of the redeemed to drink deep of the character of God and overflow in vocal and public praise to God. Come and be reminded of the reason for a pattern of praise!
Passage: Psalm 100
In this confessional psalm, David gives us a model of prayerful, sincere, faith-based, open-handed repentance from sin, and shows us that anyone can drink deep of God's forgiveness through repentance.
Passage: Psalm 51
We've been banished from the garden of Eden. We all long to return, but so often look to the wrong places. Psalm 1 helps us see that we can return to the garden through delighting in God's Word and meditating on it day and night.
Just like King David in this lament psalm, many of us face valleys of deep darkness and fear. In overwhelming situations, we learn from David who recalls the faithfulness of God and confidently prays to the God of His Salvation. Passage: Psalm 3
In this beloved psalm of confidence, King David reminds us that we should drink deep of God because He is our Provider, our Protector, and our Pursuer.
Passage: Psalm 23
As youthful passions arise and entice us toward sexual immorality, we examine the danger of sexual addiction, the fugitive response, the importance of alignment to the Word of God, and the forgiveness offered at the foot of the cross.
Passage: 2 Timothy 2:22
As Paul's life comes to an end, we draw seven principles from His faithful life to apply to our own lives as fellow sons and daughters of Christ.
As we run the Christian race well, Paul exhorts us to strive for balance as we proclaim truth and preach the Word, even in the face of opposition.
Passage: 2 Timohty 4:1-8
Why is spending time in the Word so important? How can I actually do it effectively? This message is a deeper dive into the discipline of studying scripture and unlocking the life and power that it holds.
Passage: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
As the last days lead to an increase in relational opposition and wickedness, Paul helps Timothy (and us) stay on mission by highlighting the importance of the right guide, the importance of right expectations, and the importance of a proper foundation.
Passage: 2 Timothy 3:10-17
It doesn't take long to figure out the church is broken. Leaders committing adultery and abuse. What are we to do? How are we to think about it? Listen in as the Apostle Paul instructs Timothy, his disciple, on the brokenness of Christians and the church and how to respond.
Passage: 2 Timothy 3:1-9
I hope each of us wants to be a worker that God will use in meaningful ways. But how do we become equipped to be a vessel that God uses? Where do we focus our time or energy? Join us to see three marks that God expects of faithful workers of Jesus Christ!
Passage: 2 Timothy 2:14-21
The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Come learn how Jesus sets the example for us in prioritizing God, the gospel, and others. Passage: Mark 1:32-45
Sin, temptation, and suffering all seek to draw us away from Christ. We must endure! But how? Incredibly, three paradoxes help us to endure. Come see how the paradox of Christ, the paradox of God's Word, and the paradox of work help us to endure to the end!
Passage: 2 Timothy 2:8-13
Many of us struggle with discouragement or apathy in our walk with Christ and could use a spiritual pump-up speech. Paul delivers with an exhortation to Timothy, giving us four fundamental ways to stay spiritually vibrant in our Christian faith.
The gospel is one generation from dying out. What does it take in us to pick up the mantle of gospel ministry? We need passion, boldness, and a devotion to God's Word in order to be true disciple-makers.
As the end draws near on Paul's life and ministry and he anticipates execution, Paul writes his final letter from his deathbed to Timothy to exhort and encourage him. We begin by catching up on Paul and Timothy's story, and see Paul's gratitude for the work of God, for Timothy, for the memories, and for faithful models.
Having seen that Jesus came to seek and save the lost and witnessed the power of Christ's resurrection, we wrap our series by heeding the Spirit-energized call to take this message to the ends of the earth.
Join us as we examine three responses to the resurrection of Jesus--the skeptic, the hopeful seeker, and the confident witness--and hear missionary Philip Jackson's story of how the empty tomb changed the trajectory and purpose of his life.
Who is Jesus? A foolish man who wanted to lead a revolution, but died a pitiful disgrace? Or was he the true King who substituted himself on our behalf? What will you do? Will you mock him or praise him? Will you deny him or stand with him?
Despite the Jewish leaders continuing a pattern of historical rejection resulting in judgment and replacement, Jesus overcomes that rejection to become the Chief Cornerstone and invites each of us to embrace Him as our Rock of Salvation.
Passage: Luke 20 9:19
Join us as we pursue a better understanding of biblical faith through the lives of Blind Bart and a wee little man named Zacchaeus.
Surrender and sacrifice are really hard. But in the hard times, what is the motivation for surrender? And is it really worth it? In Luke 18, Jesus teaches that surrendering NOW is always worth it LATER.
Passage: Luke 18:18-30
Is money good or bad? How are we to handle money? Come hear Jesus teach us his view on money...how it is a test, how it is a master, and how we can buy our way into heaven.
The deepest longing of our hearts is to experience unconditional love. Sadly, most of us have been hurt so many times by now that we've given of hope of finding that type of love. In a timely message, Jesus reminds us of the power of His unconditional, pursuing love for the lost through the story of three parables.
Jesus' warnings regarding the kingdom of God should catch our attention and cause us to spring to action. Is it really possible that we could miss out on the eternal presence of God? Jesus says yes.
Join us as we examine the parable of the Good Samaritan and see Jesus' intent behind his message: to surface the problem of our self-righteousness and His solution as the Ultimate Neighbor.
Jesus upsets traditional thinking by teaching that there are souls waiting to be harvested, but too few laborers entering into the kingdom work. Jesus issues each of us a call to action change our mindset, act willingly, and become a laborer in the fields of God.
During the Black Friday rush, we often think receiving and getting will bring life, but Jesus' kingdom and his example are different. We gain by giving. Come learn the expectation of Jesus' kingdom and the power of God to provide as we give.
As Jesus exorcises a legion of demons from the demoniac, Luke shows us the sovereign authority of Jesus as the Son of God, displays the hope He gives to the hopeless, and calls all people to trust the one who calms every storm. Can you imagine being there?
Through a strange dinner, two unlikely characters, and a parable, we discover a series of certain declarations and a simple yet profound truth: forgiveness motivates love.
When Jesus delivered the sermon on the plain, he turned the world upside down. Come learn how!
Passage: Luke 6:17-26
What is most important in life? Family, work, sports, politics? The paralytic of Luke 5 makes it clear that our most important work, need, and the task is to get to Jesus. Make him the priority.
The Christian call is to fully accept the character and message of Jesus, but often we pick and choose the parts of Jesus we love while rejecting the parts that bother us. As Jesus fully reveals Himself, we watch the Jews move from reverence to rejection, causing us to ask the question: Do we truly love ALL of Jesus?
Human words have power. From great speeches to small comments, our words shape the world. But human words pale in comparison to the power of God's word. God's word has all power. It takes the place of primacy and we are invited to participate in God's Word.
Is anything more relatable than temptation? To be human is to be tempted. As we examine the temptation of Christ we see three ways temptation disrupts, three types of temptation, and three takeaways from Jesus' example in overcoming temptation.
Are you barely keeping your head above water, drowning in stress and the struggle of the daily grind? In a world full of uncertainty, the Gospel is the one thing that can unravel the chaos into beautiful complexity that gives us real hope and purpose.
The gospel is the good news of salvation. But where does the gospel start? What is the first step? The first step is repentance. We start with repentance and we continue with repentance. Learn how repentance is a vital part of the Christian life as we hear directly from a few seasoned Christians.
The world is full of uncertainty...the suffering questioning God's goodness, the unnoticed questioning God's seeing of them, the doubting questioning God's existence altogether. The arrival of Jesus however brings the certainty of goodness, honor, and God's presence. Come and see and believe!
Following a first-person sermon style, Dr. Luke presents us with a necessary introduction regarding his own background, his audience, his travel experience, and writing methods, all leading us to his main purpose for writing: that absolute certainty and unshakeable faith in the person and work of Christ will change your life.
When difficult times hit us in life, it's easy to ask: "Is loving people worth it?" Boaz and Ruth remind us of the value of love in this chapter by showing us that love is worth the work, love is worth celebrating, love brings restoration, and love leaves a legacy.
Ruth's risky love reminds us to be a risk-taker in loving others because unconditional love invites risk. Boas' redeeming love reminds us to sacrificially love others by providing refuge, owning their problems, and choosing selflessness
Passage: Ruth 3
What does it look like to use our wealth, power, position, and privilege to extend the faithful love of God? Come learn from the great great great great grandfather of Jesus what true faithful love looks like when we have it all!
As Naomi and Ruth deal with tragedy, a portrait of Loyal Love (Hesed) appears between both women. Lament invites us to be the face of God to others through unshakeable Hesed love, spreading hope and giving grace wherever we go.
We are called to be living sacrifices, but we need to be alive to be such a sacrifice. Come explore why health is of some value and how our health is a tool that we can use to love God and love others.
For many, struggles with addiction and substances are a current part of their daily life. Together we examine how believers should respond to substance abuse and addictions in our lives and are reminded of biblical truths and next steps toward freedom in Christ.
What effect does technology have on our spiritual lives? Technology has the power to bring life or death so we encourage technological self - reflection as we evaluate contrasting options to see how technology is helping or hindering our walk with Christ.
Since money is a huge part of our daily lives and the Bible, join us for a fast-paced bible study on finances through the lens of contentment, stewardship, and giving to help us grow our own personal life stewardship.
Stress and anxiety have numerous causes and physiological impacts, some good and bad, but how can we grow closer to God through these daily realities? We examine several Scriptures on anxiety showing us the character of God before ending with practical ways to battle anxiety in our lives.
George May, Pastor of Counseling & Family Ministries, Calvary Church
From the time of creation, rest has been a holy thing ordained by God and taught to the people of God. Surrounded by a world that celebrates busyness, we remember God's design for physical rest and the important call to find spiritual rest in Jesus.
The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom! Come learn why wisdom is a treasure and how your friends and lover can either make or break you. Find out how to pursue wisdom and find life in Christ!
North Star Initiative supports women who are survivors of domestic sex trafficking by providing physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual care through a Christ-centered focus.
Learn more about their ministry at https://northstarinitiative.org/
Together we examine Paul's closing thoughts and motivations at the end of Romans before summarizing a few key takeaways from the book including one beauty to remember about the Gospel, one future hope to trust in, one thanksgiving to celebrate, and one challenge to live out.
Passage: Romans 15:14-16:27
As Paul address the relationship between weaker and stronger brothers in the faith, we examine six principles to help us unpack the relationship between Christian freedom and love and see what our priorities should be.
Passage: Romans 14-15:6
As humans, we love our autonomy and our freedom. But God calls us to submit not only to him, but to the governing authorities in our life. Come explore the why and the how of submitting to those in authority over us and how we can honor God in these relationships.
Being a Living Sacrifice is hard but so worth it in light of eternity and the example of Christ and Paul. In the context of a series of commands, Paul urges living sacrifices to choose humility, choose love, and choose peacemaking. Is your life marked by sacrifice?
Passage: Romans 12
Grace is a priceless treasure, and so often we don't realize the magnitude of what we have.
Passage: Romans 11
How are we saved? Just being near or around Jesus and his followers isn't enough. Passion for God isn't enough. We need a faith that rests. How do we get that faith? By hearing the Word of Christ. Come learn how we are saved!
Passage: Romans 9:30 - 10:21
God has always made choices within Israel, even in the area of salvation, and God's choices never change. Paul explains that God is not unjust in giving mercy as He pleases, and he challenges us to remember that God is sovereign and we are not.
Passage: Romans 9
Through Christ we have a physical hope to be had, a spiritual reality to be lived, and everlasting love to be preserved
Passage: Romans 8:18-39
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ! This is proven true by the work of the Spirit who gives us true life by setting us free from sin and death, helping us to live obedient lives, changing our nature, battling with us to overcome sin, and securing our adoption as children of God.
In life, we fight against sin and selfishness. Why should we keep fighting? Who is to blame for this fight? What does it mean that we are in this fight? Come learn from the riches of Romans 7 how God is renewing us and empowering us to fight against the sin that so easily entangles and discourages us.
Passage: Romans 7
Some believe the lie that because of the grace of God we can continue in our sin. Paul counteracts that lie with the truth and timely encouragement that because of the grace of God we are FREED from the power of sin.
Passage: Romans 6
Human effort/work leads to brokenness and death, but the work of Christ brings life and hope. Chasing the kingdom without the King is futile and exhausting, but even suffering can be rewarding when we are deeply rooted in Christ.
Scripture: Romans 5
After defining justification, Paul uses Abraham to prove his thesis that we are justified by faith alone just like Abraham, and shows how faith interacts with works, circumcision, the law, and the promise.
Scripture: Romans 4
We run into the danger of getting the gospel wrong. The rich text of Romans 3 reminds us of the importance and centrality of the doctrines of imputation and propitiation. It also highlights for us that Jesus in the only way and has always been so.
Scripture Passage: Romans 3:21-31
As Paul exposes the Jews need for heart transformation, each of us must examine our hearts against charges to hypocrisy and determine whether our lives are marked by present obedience to Christ.
Scripture: Romans 2:17 - 3:20
Paul continues to set up the universal need for divine rescue by revealing that even the religious and moral person falls short of the law of God. Paul warns against the temptation toward self-righteousness by reminding us that God is impartial in judgment and the guilt of the law is inescapable.
Scripture: Romans 2:1-16
Paul sets up the universal need for divine rescue by revealing that the wrath of God is against willful sinners for their rejection of the evidence for God and choice to replace God as Creator, ultimately leading God to release those people into the depths of their own sin.
Scripture: Romans 1:18-32
Good news is the heart of Christianity. Good news is the heart of Romans. The gospel is about salvation by grace for everyone for the glory of God.
Scripture: Romans 1
God has called each of us to be doers of His Word, not simply hearers. As we conclude an examination of God's justice, we are exhorted to mirror Christ by modeling Godly Justice toward others every single day.
Godly justice hates oppression, Godly justice destroys oppression, and Godly justice brings hope.
We examine Judah's sins of idolatry and societal corruption which have roused the justice of God, and consider how we can learn from the mistakes in Judah's past so we are not condemned to repeat them ourselves.
What rules your world? People or God? God tells us that life is found in Him and Him alone.
God has brought upon Habakkuk Godly justice through the Chaldeans. Habakkuk prays a prayer where he recalls the character of God and the actions of God to have full confidence in God no matter the circumstance. As we look through the final chapter of the book of Habakkuk we find that through submissive faith in the will of God and knowing who God is, we can know that regardless of the circumstance God is our confidence.
God promises justice for the oppressed. He taunts his enemies. In our sinfulness and oppression of others, this would bring us fear and lead us to repentance. In our being oppressed by sin and others, it should give us great hope to persevere because God will set all things right through his death and resurrection.
The prophet Habakkuk engages in a Q&A with God, asking the hard questions on his heart. As Habakkuk tries to understand when and how God will bring judgment, we see the importance of recognizing sin, believing in God's sovereignty, and going to God in prayer.
God, in His goodness and mercy, has entrusted us with something more valuable than the whole world. Have we been living like that? Learn what it means to co-labor with God and be His ambassador.
Jesus left us with a simple command, make disciples. So what does it look like to be a disciple-maker? We examine Paul's relationship with Philemon to find discipleship principles that can help us live out our calling to be healthy disciple-makers.
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. We need more laborers. We need more disciple-makers. To be a disciple-maker, we must first be a disciple. So, what is a disciple? Find out the marks of a true disciple of Jesus!
All of human history is lived between the tree in the garden, the tree on Calvary, and the Tree of Life in eternity. In this third message we examine the Tree of Life, which symbolizes the hope of eternal life offered to all who believe in Jesus.
All of human history is lived between the tree in the garden, the tree on Calvary, and the Tree of Life in eternity. In this second message, we examine the cross of Jesus Christ which offers up a solution to the monumental problem of the Fall that began at the First Tree.
All of human history is lived between the Trees, from the Garden of Eden to Calvary to the New Jerusalem. Three trees chart the narrative of redemption, from the Fall to the Solution to the Promise. In this first message, we focus on the world-altering events surrounding the first tree.
How should we as Christians respond to the racial tensions that exist in this country? We examine the truth of Scripture together and use discernment to help us form a biblical worldview in which we denounce racism, affirm the dignity of all mankind, love God and love others, and preach the Gospel as we stand up for the oppressed.
Why did God choose to pause the world during this pandemic? We find the answer in Luke 13:1-5 and how a call to repentance should lead us to remember the sovereignty of God, the sacredness of God, the Severity of Hell, and the Salvation of God.
In a pandemic age, death is all around us. Are we prepared for what will inevitably come? What do the scriptures say about death? Should we fear it? Is it a blessing? Find out that and more in this sermon.
While much of the world seems on pause due to a global pandemic, the kingdom of God is not on pause. One thing that we can still enjoy is that God speaks to us through his creation as Psalm 19 lays out. Find out how God speaks in creation and how creation speaks of redemption in Jesus.
In our first gathering back together, Joel and Adam celebrate the fact that we are finally Unpaused and able to fellowship in person, prepare us for the potential of a Repause, and remind us of the things that have Never Been Paused during this pandemic.
During this season of quarantine, motivation can be a real challenge for all of us, especially spiritually. Where do we draw motivation for godly living? Paul shows us where to draw our motivation and how that motivation should compel us to live out good works.
Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10
Following our Bible study model, we examine Paul's confrontation with Peter over the true gospel, resulting in the thesis statement of the book regarding justification by faith in 2:16, working together through observation, interpretation, and application.
Following our Bible study model, we examine Paul's historical defense of his apostleship and the gospel through a glimpse into the author's life in the text, wrestling together through observation, interpretation, and application.
In a unique format for this series, Joel and Adam host a massive Bible Study where we do group observation of the passage asking "what do we see?", we do group interpretation asking "What does it mean?", and we summarize the meaning of the passage together.
We give a 30,000 foot overview on how we plan to learn to study the Bible together through the book of Galatians. After a brief synopsis, we get our first Bible Study Tip, we read through Galatians together, and we watch a Bible Project Summary video on Galatians to set a foundation for next week.
Choosing the essentials for any trip can be challenging. As we travel through life, have the Scriptures become truly essential to us?
Can the Word of God really be trusted? this passage, we reinforce our understanding of Scripture by looking at three reasons from Peter that we can have confidence in the Word of God.
If you give a man a sermon, you give him Christ for a day. Teach him to know, love, study, and apply the Bible you give him Christ for a lifetime. Come see the priority, purpose, and practicality of the Scriptures!
In following the narrative of Haggai, we see that God rejects our sacrifices and works when our hearts are far from God. This can lead to punishment and correction from God, with the goal that we live obediently and keep God as our number one priority. Does God need to get your attention this year?
Scripture: Haggai 2:10-23
The prophet Haggai delivers a second message as the people of God grow wearing re-building the temple, acknowledging their discouragement and exhorting them to remain faithful, reminding them that God is with them, and prophesying of future glory and peace. It is a timely message to press on through difficulty and discouragement for the glory of God.
Scripture: Haggai 2:1-9
As seen in the book of Haggai, God intervenes in the lives of His children when we have wrong priorities, which are often framed by excuses and lead to problems in our lives. As we enter a new year and a new decade, is God's will our #1 priority?
Scripture: Haggai 1
Romance is celebrated in Scripture, but we want to date wisely and examine biblical principles to consider in this stage of life. We inspect key questions to ask before we date, what the purpose of dating should be biblically, and some practical tips to help us as we try to date well in a Christian subculture.
A pastor for 30 years and a missionary with UK-USA in England for the past nine years, Mike Taylor preaches about the impact of relationships in bringing the Gospel to the nations and challenges each of us to determine if we are a casual onlooker or a radical follower of Jesus.
We are guaranteed to be in conflict in our lives. We are called to be peacemakers. Explore 5 biblical principles for conflict resolution.
In many ways, marriage can seem like the ultimate goal and can become an idol for us. We slow down to look at the seriousness of God's call to marital faithfulness and love, and we set biblical expectations for marriage so that all our future marriages might be posters for the gospel.
Scripture: Ephesians 5:25-33
In contrast to the postmodern beliefs of our age, we look at a biblical perspective of homosexual relationships and gender identity to find that true fulfillment is found in God's design, true purpose is found in holiness, our true identity is found in Jesus, and the sexual ethos of our day has become an open door to the gospel.
In our quest to avoid sexual brokenness and pursue purity within God's perfect design, we ask six questions to help us unmask the deception and consequences of sexual sin and help us build out a biblical strategy to fight sexual sin.
Scripture: Proverbs 5
Is the single person lacking? Is marriage better? Come and learn God's perspective on singleness. There is honor, privileges, and challenges in the godly single life.
God created us to be in relationship with others and while that desire is a good thing, we need to first find our identity in Christ, not those relationships. Armed with that understanding, we look at the fact that God created sex as a good thing within the institution of marriage, which is a covenant relationship for the glory of God.
The Gospel of John ends with a focus on restoration and reconciliation. Peter pursues reconciliation and Jesus restores Peter, showing that God takes people who are a mess and forgives them and changes them. But once we have been restored, can we commit to following Jesus with a renewed faithfulness?
Set against a backdrop of fear and death, the resurrection of Jesus changes everything. For Mary, for His disciples, and for Thomas, the resurrection of Jesus changes their presuppositions and gives them hope. As we are presented with the resurrection of Jesus, does it change everything for us?
The hour has come. The most significant moment in human history has happened. What does it mean? Join us and explore the rich imagery of the cross.
John reminds us of the deity of Jesus as Jesus marches to Calvary. As the hour of God's betrayal has arrived, as Peter denies Jesus, and as sinful men put God on trial, we must answer Pilate's question for ourselves: What is truth?
Jesus allows us to sit in on His powerful prayer to God the Father before He departs for the cross. Jesus offers encouragement to us as He prays for Himself and His own glorification, for His disciples and their protection and sanctification, and for future believers that we would be unified and experience communion with Him one day.
Jesus gives his parting words to his disciples in the Upper Room, focusing on their upcoming deaths and his upcoming departure. Despite the imminent suffering of both Christ and his disciples, Jesus reminds all of us that we can have peace in suffering because of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When we take time to consider the big questions, we begin to wonder: What is true? How do I make it to heaven? What will give me joy in life? Jesus puts himself forward as the answer to all these questions. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Jesus is the true vine and God is the pruner. God prunes us in order that we might bear fruit to his glory and our good.
In the midst of hurt and betrayal, we move towards self and hatred. Jesus, when faced with betrayal, moves towards service, blessing, and love. We are called to walk in his footsteps!
As Jesus' final hour approaches, we see the foreshadowing of Jesus as the Passover lamb and his impending death through Judas and the plotting of the chief priests. As the Jews welcome Him as Messiah during the Triumphal Entry, Jesus reminds us of the purpose of the coming hour.
We examine Jesus' claim to be the Resurrection and the Life and show how the story of Lazarus foreshadows the events of Calvary. Jesus' loves Lazarus deeply and laments over the loss of Lazarus, reminding us that it's okay to wrestle with grief and suffering. But Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead to demonstrate His final power over death, bring Himself glory, and give us hope.
Jesus is one with the Father and functions as both the door of the sheepfold, the only passageway to salvation, and the Good Shepherd to His sheep. Jesus comes as the Good Shepherd and leads His flock, knows them, protects them, and lays down His life for them. Because of His oneness with God, He is both our access point and our salvation, guiding us into the pastures of eternal life.
Tonight we wanted to give everyone a chance to understand who we are as a leadership team and where this ministry is going as we launch forward. Adam spends 15 minutes discussing the pillars of our ministry, our heart for the people of the ministry, and his passion for the ministry. Then there's a fun get-to-know-you Q&A to meet the leadership team!
We say we know God and that we can see clearly. However, there is a great danger we can actually blind. Examine spiritual blindness and how Jesus brings sight to the blind.
In an extended conversation between Jesus and the Jews, Jesus shines as the Light of the World, revealing the darkness of our sin problem and the need to embrace Him as the light of life. Through a number of appeals and rebuttals, Jesus reveals that He is the truth that sets us free, that He is the great "I AM", and that His promises can be trusted.
We look at Jesus' public power displayed through miracles, including feeding the 5000 and walking on water. Then Jesus gives a persuasive presentation of his deity, claiming to be the bread of life. But as the crowds reject him and just the disciples remain, Jesus asks the question of them and us: "Do you want to go away as well?"
Jesus pushes us out of the comfort of complacency, familiarity, and religiosity, and into a vibrant and action-filled relationship with him.
Jesus has a divine appointment with the woman at the well and reveals Himself to be the Messiah as He invites her to drink deep of His Living Water to overcome the spiritual dryness of her heart. Jesus shows no partiality toward her or us, calling each person to individually experience a "verse 42 moment" and believe for yourself that He is indeed the Savior of the world.
Who is Jesus? More than a teacher who performs miracles, Jesus challenges Nicodemus that he must be Born Again. As we encounter Jesus, we should all be confronted with our need for New Birth.
Who is Jesus? A loving Savior who longs to bring us joy and happiness or a judge who wants justice? Perhaps it's both! Come and learn of Jesus who is both Lord of joy and Lord of wrath.
Who is Jesus? Our God, our king, and our savior. This should compel us to believe Him and make Him known.
Who is Jesus? This question permeates the Gospel of John, but the answer is equally as clear. Jesus is God, savior, and the one who will never leave us or forsake us. Come and begin to behold the Christ, the Son of God, in the Gospel of John.
We are crazy busy as a culture. What is God's perspective? What is the right balance between work and rest? Come find out how the gospel frees us to rest and work in worshipful ways.
Depression is one of those topics that many Christians say they feel, but no one wants to talk about. This week, our guest speaker Scott Roper uses scriptural examples of saints who suffered, along with personal testimony, to discover some biblical strategies to handle times when the world seems to hold more challenges than answers. The discussion is honest and our hope is that it will be a great encouragement to you.
Is the gospel green? Is green the gospel? Come and learn what God has to say about stewarding His creation.
God adopts us into his family. Therefore, we are to live with the opposite gender as siblings. Yet we so often either abuse or abandon this call. Come and learn God's call to live as His family.
Forgiveness is grace in action and we should be motivated to forgive because of the cross. The forgiveness of Christ should compel us to the front lines of forgiveness. Forgiveness is a powerful force that offers us a way out of the cycles of revenge we see in the world and can change the hearts of the guilty. Who is the person that you need to forgive?
Grace is a uniquely Christian idea that God gives us new life even though we are totally undeserving. Grace dispenses gifts, not wages, and is fueled by love. Grace has been offered to us and should be extended to others freely!
We are citizens of heaven, exiles in our present nation America, but called to seek the welfare of America. Our goal is life and our method is love!
Is it possible for anyone to have assurance of their salvation? John teaches us that assurance is possible for the believer and we see that assurance comes through personal evaluation, through faith in God, and specifically through the blood of Jesus Christ.
True Christians bear the marks of love and obedience. To John, the whole of the law is summed up in loving God and loving others, especially your brothers in Christ. True love comes through knowing Jesus, and John testifies to the reality of Jesus through baptism, crucifixion, the Spirit, God, and personal testimony, encouraging skeptics and believers alike to evaluate who Jesus is.
The mark of a True Christian is no abiding in God's love. If we are in God's love, we will not fear His judgment nor stop loving others.
Everything in the world is either for or against Christ. John calls us to test every spirit to discern the spirit of error from the spirit of truth. Come find out how to test the spirits!
True Christians have a living faith that bears fruit. True Christians live like our Father. God demands righteousness of His children because God hates sin, because God overcame sin at the cross, and because God gave us His Holy Spirit to help us overcome sin now so that our actions match our heart affections.
How do we know if our faith is genuine? The epistle of 1 John gives us a third mark of a true believer which is a passionate love for the Father. This affection is demonstrated by not loving the world, by doing the will of the Father, and by abiding in Him.
What are the marks of a true Christian? Holiness and a dependence on Christ for our unholiness. Listen and learn more!
How do we know that we are a Christian? What characterizes true Christianity? Join us for our new series as we look at the first mark of true Christianity, the gospel!
Initially, we were created for honor and glory, but with sin we were marked with shame. The incarnation of Jesus recreated our story of shame and set us free to honor and glory in His name.
Tonight we look at the Gospel of John where we see that God the Son took on flesh in the Incarnation in order to reconnect humanity with God, ultimately fulfilling His role as prophet. God became man in the person of Jesus Christ in order to restore the intimacy that was broken at the Fall, reconcile men to Himself, and restore fellowship with men for all eternity.
Tonight we see that the promised deliverer, Jesus Christ, has come as the ultimate fulfillment of Genesis 3:15. Matthew 1 reveals Jesus is the Christ, the one we have been waiting for, who is coming to re-create all things and restore the proper authority between God and man as King. Is Christ the King the object of your worship?
After a lifetime of success and failure in faith, Abraham displays his ultimate faith in the Lord by offering up his own son. This faith is rooted in the God Who Provides and once again God provides for Abraham. As we trust in the God Who Provides, we too can walk in radical obedience and faith.
Tonight we look at our promise-keeping God, who shockingly makes a unilateral covenant with Himself to provide eternal blessings to Abraham that can never be revoked. This covenant, brimming with grace and kindness, provides assurance and serves as a reminder of the character of God to Abraham, Israel, and each one of us.
On the heels of the promise of Genesis 3:15, God calls an undeserving idolater named Abraham and gives him an incredible new promise to create a nation through him. Abraham responds in faith to the call of God, but when the shine of the promise wears off, Abraham serves as a reminder of the challenge of living consistently by faith.
Since the dawn of time, humans have been building towers for their own glory, security, and rule. God graciously disrupts this city which will only bring destruction to help us build the true and lasting city of God.
Through Noah, the world was saved and recreated. Jesus is our better Noah who likewise saves us from the wrath to come and brings us into a new heaven and a new earth!
Fresh off the curse in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve are given a son named Cain whom they hope could be the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15. However, Cain falls spectacularly and proves himself instead to be an Anti-Hero. Caught in an unbreakable cycle of sin and death, Cain ultimately serves as a reminder that Christ alone is the Hero who can set us free.
A butterknife makes a bad screwdriver. Knowing what we are created for helps us to live as God designs. Come and learn the pattern that God gives us for our lives in the creation story!
In the beginning, God. He is at the center of all the world. He shapes our purpose and our world. He calls us to bring his image to the ends of the world through forming and filling His creation.
How do we respond to a world full of suffering? How do we build our faith to prepare for times of suffering and how does focusing on Jesus now prepare us for when suffering does come?
What basis do we really have for believing the authority of Scripture? Are there reliable reasons to believe the Bible contains the words of God? In this message we look at the evidence for the Scriptures including the historical documents, the eyewitness accounts, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the supernatural events claimed within the Scriptures.
Does science disprove the Bible? Can science and Christianity work together? In this message, find out why Christianity is necessary for science and atheism/naturalism is not compatible with science.
Peter wants to encourage all believers that in difficult times, our hope is not in ourselves or our circumstances, it’s in the God of the universe. In the midst of trial, our hope is rooted in the hope of future glory in Christ. Therefore, with your eyes fixed on eternity, stand firm in your faith today.
Suffering surprises us. Peter, however, surprises us with truths about suffering. God plans suffering for our joy and our good!
Peter tells us "the end of all things is at hand." We must therefore live like it's the 4th quarter with a focus on prayer, love, and hospitality that God might be glorified!
God vindicated Christ's suffering by raising Him from the dead, providing hope for the suffering Christian. The Gospel powerfully reminds us of the living hope we have received through the redemptive act of Christ and urges us to respond in faith.
Peter calls us to point people to Jesus in all relational contexts, even difficult ones. All believers should be living evangelistically, proclaiming Christ silently with our actions and boldly with our words because of the hope of our great salvation.
How do we win a lost world? Surprisingly, Peter points to how Christians conduct themselves in marriage. Find out what submission is and isn't in the context of marriage as we explore 1 Peter 3:1-7.
Peter calls us to submit for the Lord's sake to every human institution so that others might see Christ in our lives. Are we willing to submit to holiness, submit to the government, submit in the workplace, and submit our very lives for the sake of the Gospel?
In the midst of persecution and injustice around us, how are we as Christians to respond? The call is to respond with brotherly love. As we love, God is worshipped and the world watches!
Join us as we hear from Beau Eckert senior pastor at Calvary Church share with us what he is passionate about from God’s word.
Purity paves the path to intimacy in our vertical relationship with God and in our horizontal relationships with others.
The apostle John tells us in 1 John 4:19, “We love because, He first loved us.” So in order to really love people we have to be good receivers of love. But how do we do that? What does it look like to allow the love of God to flow through us, so that we are actually loving people from God’s love rather then a manufactured love that comes from our broken selves?
Paul challenges his young protege Timothy to train himself in godliness and to set an example with his conduct. Paul understood that as a leader you will influence others by the way you live your life. Your life will make an impact one way or another. So how is your life impacting those around you? join us as we discover what it looks like to set a godly example in the spheres of influence that God has placed us.
Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” If that is true it is time to step up and evaluate what kind of influence our words are having. Are they bringing life or death?
When you evaluate your life and think about where you work, where you go to school, your relationships with co-workers, classmates, or friends, are you more prone to be a thermometer who conforms to what is happening around you or are you thermostat who sets not just an example, but a Christ-Like example?
Learning patience is not just about what you will get at the end of the wait. Learning patience is about what you will become as you wait.
No matter what stage of life you are at you are always faced with making decisions. How do you go about making decisions? Do you make them independently or in dependence in a Sovereign God?
The words that we use have the potential to be incredibly hurtful or helpful and we all have to decide how we will use words. The difficult part is that the words we say to others are the overflow of what is deep inside are hearts. Join us as we take an honest look at our hearts and how are heart is put on display by the way we talk.
Do James and Paul disagree with one another? Are people saved through faith or by their works? Join us as we allow James to unpack the practical outworking of the gospel.
What needs to change in your life so that application of God’s Word not just hearing God’s Word is the operating mode of your life?
What needs to change in your life so that joy is your operating mode in the midst of trial’s and temptation?
Every once and awhile we need to take a break from our regular series and hear from people who are passionate about particular parts of God’s Word. We believe that passion is contagious and that God’s Word through the power of the Holy Spirit has the ability to radically transform peoples lives. Join us this week as we are inspired by passion to know and live God’s Word.
In this final installment of the space between we find Jesus revealing His love and truth in an unconventional way that causes his listeners to wade into deeper waters of trust.
As Jesus approaches Jerusalem for the final time he patiently shows his disciples what it looks like to be great in his kingdom.
As Jesus journey’s towards the cross we see him move towards people and engage their physical needs in order to meet their deeper spiritual need. In John 9 we see Jesus’ disciples struggling for the cause of a blind man’s plight and Jesus redirects their attention and our attention to help us understand the greater purpose in pain.
Just before Jesus left this earth he commanded his disciples to go and make disciples. Now if you are a follower of Jesus Christ that means you are his disciple and what was true of the disciples back then is also true today. Disciples of Jesus are called to make disciples of Jesus. Since that is true what better question to ask then, “How did Jesus make disciples?” Join us as we jump in to Luke chapter 8 and 9 and discover how Jesus developed leaders and made disciples.
As we continue to walk with Jesus we see how he is confronted and tested by all kinds of people. In Luke chapter 10:25-37 Jesus engages with a lawyer and expert of the law where he asks questions and tells stories in order to reveal the deeper need of his and our hearts. Join us as we discover the joy of living from the inside out rather then the outside in.
When Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, he turned our world upside-down. He changed the curse to a blessing. He changed who gets in the kingdom, how the kingdom is run, and the very nature of religion itself. Come and see how!
At the start of Jesus’ ministry he announced that the Kingdom of God had come. As he does this he invites a few people to journey with him and discover what this new kingdom looks like. For those who accept his invitation they quickly find out that this kingdom is like nothing they have ever seen or experienced before.
How would you describe your relationship with Jesus. Is it fluid? undefined? changing? Paul challenges the believers in Jesus to stand firm in their relationship with him. Join us as we discover what it practically looks like to stand firm in the Lord.
Paul continues to challenge the church to forget what lies behind and strain forward deeper into becoming more like Jesus. What might need to change in your life as you seek to move forward in Pursuing Life in Christ?
Paul shows us that Jesus is of supreme value to us compared to everything else this world has to offer.
Join us as we discover what it looks like to reflect the light of the gospel rather then the darkness of the world.
Join us as we discover what it looks like to reflect the light of the gospel rather then the darkness of the world.
Jesus provides us the perfect model of what it looks like to walk in humble obedience to the Father.
Have you ever had a time in your life where you have felt stagnant in your relationship with Jesus? Join us as we dig into the book of Philippians and allow ourselves to be challenged to move in our relationship with Christ.
We all have things in life that need to be finished or completed, but so often we face distraction and obstacles along the way. Where and how do we find the strength to finish strong when everything around us is shouting to give up? Join us as we dig in to Nehemiah chapter 6 and walk with Nehemiah as he participates in restoring the ruins.
When you seek to live out God’s will for your life you will be met with adversity externally and internally. How will you respond when those closest to you create dissension? Join us as we dig in to Nehemiah chapter 5 and discover what a God-honoring response looks like when dissension and conflict are in the way of completing a mission.
In Gods work, opposition and discouragement are inevitable. Faith in Jesus is the only way to endure to the end.
As we continue in our 3rd installment of Restored Ruins we journey with Nehemiah as he enters Jerusalem and begins to investigate what needs to be done. He then begins to cast a compelling Vision to the people of Jerusalem of what could be rather then what is. This week we dig deeper into what it looks like to join God and empower others in His mission of restoring ruins.
Have you ever had a time in your life when you have felt something inside, and you have wanted to hold that emotion in and no matter how hard you tried you just couldn’t help wearing your emotions on your sleeve? Well, that’s exactly what happened to Nehemiah when the king noticed that he was sad and asked him what was wrong. Join us as we continue discovering the life of Nehemiah how God breaks our hearts for what breaks His, and how we join Him in doing something about it.
Have you ever had a time in your life when your heart has broken over something? Or maybe you saw the way something was, and it created a burden inside of you to desire a different future reality? This week we dive into the book of Nehemiah and begin our journey of having our hearts broken for what breaks God’s heart.
At the fullness of time God sent Jesus into the world, and Jesus' coming had a purpose! Jesus’ coming when he came solves when one of our deepest human problems. Wether we realize it or not we are all slaves and Jesus came to buy us out of our slavery to sin and give us a new life. The result of Jesus buying sinners out of slavery is that all those who believe in Him are now adopted into His family. Join us as we discover the wonderful realities of being adopted into Jesus’ family.
At the fullness of time God sent Jesus into the world, and Jesus' coming had a purpose! Jesus’ coming when he came solves when one of our deepest human problems. Wether we realize it or not we are all slaves and Jesus came to buy us out of our slavery to sin and give us a new life. Join us as we discover the power of Jesus’ redemption in our lives.
Galatians 4:4 says, "4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law.” It appears that before Jesus could come a specific amount of time had to be filled. There was a tension between the already and the not yet. There was anticipation of a future possibility. What was God doing during the already and not yet, and how do we live with the tension of the already and not yet’s of our lives?
This week we conclude our series by diving into the uncomfortable story of Daniel. A man who grew up in a foreign land but committed his life to the Lord regardless of the consequences. Daniel’s story like our story is met with many opportuntiesw to compromise our convictions but in those moments God is in the process of revealing his uncomfortable grace.
This week we dive into the uncomfortable story of Joseph where it seems like everything continues to go wrong even when he does the right thing. Join us as we examine Joseph’s vertical focus in the midst of uncomfortable circumstances.
This week we dive into the uncomfortable story of Joseph where it seems like everything continues to go wrong even when he does the right thing. Join us as we examine Joseph’s vertical focus in the midst of uncomfortable circumstances.
This week we dive into the uncomfortable story of Genesis 22 where God tests Abraham by telling him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Join us as we discover what it looks like to be tested and what we learn about the test giver in the process.
Join Jesus' disciples as they learn to navigate the waters of uncomfortable grace. Be challenged to look vertically rather the horizontally in the midst of life’s adversity.
A look at Scripture from Cover to Cover to see how Jesus fulfilled the OT covenants and creates a New Covenant that secures our Salvation.
As we close out our Focus series we will be focusing in on what it means to Invest in God’s Work. How do we faithfully steward what God has given us as His servants. How do we faithfully leverage all that God has given us for His Glory?
This week as we continue our Focus series we dive into John Chapter 4 where Jesus challenges his disciples to see people the way that He does and live with the same calling and purpose in which He has.
As we observe Jesus’ life and teaching we see him interact with all kinds of people, and his association with people identifies him as one who was a friend of sinners and tax collectors. Jesus invites sinners to come and follow him and this invitation to all kinds of people is incredibly confusing to the religious leaders of the day. As Jesus invites sinners to come and follow him they must now learn how to love and interact with one another as a group of people who have been and are being transformed by the grace of God.
Right before Jesus begins his ministry he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for a time of testing and temptation. As Satan begins his onslaught of temptation Jesus finds his response to the attack rooted and grounded in the Word of God. As followers of Jesus let’s look to Jesus and his example of how to battle temptation and the attacks that the enemy throws at us.
During the final days of Jesus life before He was crucified he spent time being questioned by the religious leaders who were trying to discredit him. One lawyer wanted to know what the greatest commandment in all of scripture was. Jesus response brings incredible focus on what matters most in this life that we have been given to live.
Jesus teaches his disciples in the sermon on the mount what it means to be citizens of a new kingdom and during this teaching he challenges them to not live lives that are anxious. That challenge may seem insurmountable to most but Jesus unlocks what it looks like to live free from the bondage of anxiety by what we choose to seek first.
Have you ever considered that the decisions you make today have a ripple effect far beyond today? What does it look like to make wise decisions in a world that celebrates foolishness? Paul in Ephesians 5:15-20 gives us insight into what it looks like to live a life that understands the difference between right and wrong and chooses to do the right thing even when it is difficult.
Have you ever considered that the decisions you make today have a ripple effect far beyond today. What does it look like to make wise decisions in a world that celebrates foolishness. Paul in Ephesians 5:15-20 gives us insight into what it looks like to live a life that understands the difference between right and wrong and choses to do the right thing even when it is difficult.
This is our second week in our How Will You Live? series, and Mark unpacks Ephesians 4:18-32, where he talks about sin and our response to it.
Every single follower of Jesus will either find their identity vertically in Christ or will shop for it horizontally in the situations, experiences, and relationships of daily life. We have discovered in the first three chapters of Ephesians that finding our vertical identity in Christ is what truly satisfies in this life. But we can’t stop there. Once our identity is found in Christ it must propel us to live differently, and that’s what this series is about. Join us as we unpack chapters 4-5 in Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus and discover how we live out of the abundance of who we are in Christ.
Ephesians 3 teaches that God created the Church so that His wisdom would be made known to the world. For this to take place, Paul prays that we would have the power and strength to comprehend the breadth, and length and height and depth of the love of God.
This week during C4 we dive into who you are when it comes to God’s master plan in building His church.
In order to understand who we are we have to look into our past and see who we were. We need to look in the present and see what God has done. And we need to look into the future and see who God is calling us to be.
If you could describe your Christian life in one word what would it be? Why is it that when most people think of their Christian life they wouldn’t describe it as one that is lived in power? In the last half of Ephesians chapter one Paul lays out a prayer for the Ephesian church that we can pray today and he helps us see how to live with the same power that rose Jesus from the dead.
The apostle Paul helps us define what it means to have our identities shaped by what God has done for us and who He says we are.