Pearl Chapel: Recent Episodes
Pearl Chapel
Pearl Chapel is a growing church family in Shell Beach, California. Our desire is to demonstrate church as family and to build a resting place for God among His family.
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In this supplemental discussion from Sunday's message, we explore the far-reaching impact of Abraham's faithful obedience in Genesis 22. Through his willingness to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham demonstrates a profound measure of faith in the midst of his trial, which results in a multigenerational blessing: all nations will be blessed through him. This narrative highlights that faithful obedience to God extends beyond personal blessings; it lays a foundation of faith for future generations.
Reflecting on Hebrews 11, we recognize the sacrifices of the saints who endured immense trials without seeing the fulfillment of God's promises. Their unwavering faith amidst adversity laid the groundwork for future believers, showcasing how obedience in one generation empowers and strengthens another. This underlines a central kingdom truth: true faith is multigenerational, influencing history in unseen and eternal ways.
By living with unwavering faith, believers participate in God’s grand narrative, unfolding throughout history and eternity.
To see the video version of this podcast, clicke here:
https://youtu.be/XXa9irDzAsU
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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In this message, we dive into Genesis 22, a pivotal chapter that explores the testing of Abraham. Unlike temptation, which is destructive and comes from the enemy, testing from God is meant to build strength and character. This distinction is crucial, as we witness Abraham facing an extraordinary test - sacrificing his son Isaac, which challenges his faith and trust in God's promises.
Abraham's real test goes beyond the physical act of sacrifice, touching on the deeper challenge of surrendering the promise that God had made to him. This foreshadoes the new covenant way of Christ: promise, sacrifice, and resurrection - the core of God's kingdom.
Abraham's faithfulness during his trial granted him the authority to rename the mountain where God had taken him. This encourages us to endure our own trials with patience, trusting that we, too, will be granted the authority to rename our situations.
We are encouraged to embrace divine tests, let them refine and strengthen our faith, and live with the assurance that God, in His mercy, always provides. This is the way of the kingdom.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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Neil and Lindsey sit down to discuss some of the practical ways that we can keep our eyes fixed on Jesus in the midst of real life situations. This is a follow-up conversation to Sunday's message, "Ceaseless Radiance: No One But Jesus Only."
Watch the video of this discussion here:
https://youtu.be/nGrgjYnVZL0
Watch the video of Sunday's message here:
https://youtu.be/CGAFsy1Uvj8
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
Message with any questions, prayer requests, or comments!
In this message we examine how Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God, the exact representation of His nature. We look at the Greek term "character," found in Hebrews 1:3, which emphasizes Jesus as the authentic and permanent imprint of God's essence, like a stamp engraved on a coin. Jesus consistently radiates God’s glory, comparable to the constant presence of stars, even when hidden by daylight. This metaphor teaches that despite our distractions, Jesus remains with us, ready to reveal God in our situations.
This message underscores the principle "whatever you look at, you empower," cautioning us against fixating on inferior distractions over Jesus, our true guiding light. Our focus determines whether we empower earthly issues or magnify God's presence in our lives. This is a call to enthrone Jesus by focusing on Him amidst adversities, thus dethroning problems and placing them under God’s dominion.
Peter’s encounter during the Transfiguration (Matthew 17) reveals the folly of equating Jesus with mere historical figures like Moses (the law) or Elijah (the prophets). When overshadowed by divine presence, Jesus stands out as the sole representation of God’s glory and essence.
In conclusion, focusing on Jesus rather than temporal or troubling circumstances empowers us to experience God’s glory and guidance. Jesus is the unwavering light in the midst of darkness.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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In this week’s message, we explore the nature of God's forgiveness through a fresh lens. Drawing from the Psalms and three interactions with Jesus, we challenge conventional religious wisdom about how and when God forgives.
We examine the accounts of the paralytic man, the woman with the alabaster jar, and the woman caught in adultery. In each case, Jesus extends forgiveness without the formal confessions or rituals we often associate with repentance. This leads us to question: what truly is the basis of God's forgiveness?
The message explores the idea that faith, rather than verbal declarations or specific actions, opens the door to divine forgiveness. We discuss how internal repentance often precedes external expression and how God, seeing the heart, responds to this inner transformation with scandalous grace.
We also address how religious practices, while well-intentioned, can sometimes become barriers to experiencing God's forgiveness.
The discussion concludes with a fresh take on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, emphasizing the father's eagerness to forgive and restore his child. This story serves as a powerful metaphor for God's heart toward those seeking forgiveness.
Throughout the message, we emphasize that God is not a God of condemnation but a God of salvation and restoration. This message challenges us to embrace a view of God as compassionate, gracious, and abundantly merciful, always ready to forgive those who turn to Him in faith.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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Neil and Lindsey sit down for a discussion on the importance of community within the church, emphasizing that God's design for His church is to function as a family where members are interconnected and grow together in faith. Individuals are not meant to live in isolation but rather thrive in a supportive community that reflects the love of Christ. The church is the central hub of God's authority and power, with Jesus walking among His people, which signifies a unique presence and purpose within the gathered body.
The conversation discusses why some individuals may struggle to connect with a church community, such as past church hurt, difficulty finding a suitable church, or fear of vulnerability. It suggests that these issues often stem from a self-focused perspective, where personal experiences overshadow the collective mission of the church, which is centered on Jesus.
The conversation acknowledges the reality of pain that many of us have experienced at the hands of churches and other believers but insists that God's design for the church remains unchanged…and healing must come from God rather than from seeking the perfect church experience. This is an encouragement to trust that God will lead us to a healthy church family that fosters growth and maturity in faith, while also recognizing that the scars from past hurts can become a testament to one's journey in choosing forgiveness and love.
We also discuss the issue of church consumerism, where individuals approach church with a mindset focused on personal preferences rather than a commitment to community and God’s design for His house. This attitude can lead to a lack of genuine connection and spiritual stagnation. We encourage believers to surrender their preferences and seek God's heart for their involvement in a church, emphasizing that true growth occurs in the context of deep, committed relationships.
Finally, the conversation concludes with a call to action for those who may feel disconnected or disillusioned with the church. We urge individuals to engage with their local church, serve, and build relationships, as this is where they will find the support and accountability necessary for spiritual growth. We also recommend various resources, including books and podcasts, to help individuals deepen their understanding of the church's role in God's plan. Overall, we hope to present a compelling case for the importance of the church as a community where believers can grow, heal, and fulfill their God-given purpose together.
This is a supplemental discussion to last Sunday's message, "Clothed in Glory: How Relationships Shape Our Spiritual Garments." We would encourage you to take a listen.
Additional resources mentioned in the podcast:
Habitation church: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/habitation-church/id1578531408
The King's People: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kings-people/id449544873
Cross Culture Chicago: https://crossculturechicago.org/messages
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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In this episode, we explore Exodus 28:1-4, where God instructs Moses to set apart Aaron and his sons as priests, emphasizing the significance of their holy garments, which will clothe them in glory and beauty.
This message delves into two main points:
1. Ministry to the Lord as Priority: The essence of being a priest is to stand before God, which must precede any ministry to others. Our relationship with God empowers us to serve effectively. When we pour ourselves out to Him, we are filled with His presence, enabling us to minister to others authentically.
2. The Necessity of Community: Aaron, despite being called and anointed by God, could not create his own holy garments; he needed the artisans in his community. This illustrates that we, too, require those around us to fulfill our God-given roles. The body of Christ is designed to build each other up, as stated in Ephesians 4:16. Our character is shaped through interactions within our community, where we practice living like Jesus.
The episode also addresses the modern church's tendency to prioritize individual gifting over character and community. It emphasizes that true spiritual growth occurs in the context of relationships, where we are held accountable and encouraged by one another. Just as athletes and innovators rely on their teams, we must recognize our need for the family of God to thrive spiritually.
Ultimately, the journey to radiate God's glory takes time and commitment to community. By devoting ourselves to one another and to God’s design for His house, we can shine together in His light. Join us as we reflect on the necessity of becoming the family of God and how we can embody the character of Christ in our daily lives.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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BONUS MATERIAL - This is a mid-week conversation Neil, Lindsey, & Layla had as a followup to our gathering on Sunday.
The whole earth is full of the glory of the Lord...if only we'd give more attention to Him than to our distractions. Our hope is to cultivate a lifestyle of worship that overflows into our Sunday gatherings...to become a people who can worship through the distraction.
To see the video of this conversation, check out the new AROUND THE TABLE YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@AroundTheTable-xs6ld?sub_confirmation=1
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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The path to reconciliation with God isn't about satisfying God's demands with our good works but recognizing that God has already removed all barriers separating us from Him. This precious word, "reconcile," is central to the gospel. The fact that we are restored to God is absolutely foundational to understanding the kingdom. Today, we look at what it means to have our relationship with God restored to its original design.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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Dove-tailing off of last weeks message, we take a closer look at the profound truths found in 2 Corinthians 5; in Christ, we are restored to our original design. We also examine the reason that Jesus became sin so that we would become the righteousness of God. Did Jesus die for sin...or for love?
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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What if you knew that you were as righteous and holy as Jesus, and that complete wholeness was our starting point in Christ not the finish line? Today we look at the scandalous truth of the gospel that tells us faith in Jesus and repentance makes us a mirror image of His righteousness. These things are not just semantics or theological concepts, they are keys to living a kingdom life and showing the world how holy our God is.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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A supplemental podcast from Neil and Lindsey. This is a follow-up conversation to the message two weeks ago (The Power of Our Words).
In a cultural moment where feelings are celebrated, the principles of the kingdom of God stand in stark contrast. What does the Bible mean by, "A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back"? How can holding back our feelings be healthy? Let's take some time to talk through the healthy, kingdom response to our feelings.
DISCLAIMER: the conclusions we make in this video may not apply to individuals with certain mental disorders, previous trauma, or dangerous relational situations. In no way are we dismissing the role that pastors and counselors play.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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God desires all to be saved. If we are now saved then we are now on mission to give God the desire of His heart. When this is settled, our evangelism is God-focused. Kingdom people announce to the world who Jesus is with their lives...their words simply confirm the message. The power of the gospel is undefeated when it is declared from the lips of authentic Jesus People who re-present Him as He is.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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Many of us have questions about hearing God's voice and how to discern His voice from our own. Lindsey and Neil sat down to have a conversation about some of the things the Lord has shown them over the years on this subject. This is a followup to last Sunday's message on obedience.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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Could our obedience to God be more important than making the "smart" decisions? As we continue looking at qualities of the kingdom of God, we look at the necessity of obedience. Kingdom people don't wait to understand before they obey God, they simply obey by faith. It's obedience in the absence of understanding that demonstrates incredible faith.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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Ever wondered how the words you speak reflect the condition of your heart? In this message, we dive into Jesus' teachings in Matthew 12, where he illuminates the significance of our words as the fruit of our hearts. As kingdom people, we must weigh our declarations carefully, knowing they are recorded in heaven and form an integral part of our testimony.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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What does it mean to truly live a life of Kingdom generosity? Today we explore the profound impact that generosity has on our lives and how it goes well beyond mere financial giving. Inspired by Jesus' example in Matthew 14, we reflect on his acts of generosity even when faced with personal grief and exhaustion, urging us to consider how we can embody this in our daily lives.
Be sure to listen through to the end to hear Gretchen Ricker give an update on the greenhouse and garden project as well as our current needs.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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What if your love for others could reflect the pure, unconditional love of God? How can it when our experiences often lead to misconceptions of what love is and, worse, who God is? But Kingdom people live with a pure quality of love for God and love for others...in spite of their experiences. This week we examine the concept of unconditional, divine love that transcends fleeting emotions and circumstances.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
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We begin a journey through the practicals of what it looks like to be a kingdom people. As kingdom people, we understand the importance of moving beyond salvation and embracing a kingdom life, dethroning imposter kings, and allowing Jesus to reign in our hearts. Kingdom people navigate the tension of being citizens of a heavenly kingdom that has come and is still yet to come. Living a kingdom life is costly, but kingdom people have counted that cost and see the empty tomb as permission to live for the age to come rather than a place to camp out until Jesus comes back.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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What truly sets apart someone who merely believes in Jesus from someone who is genuinely born again into the kingdom of God? This week we journey through a quick recap of eight weeks of discussions on the Kingdom of God followed by a lengthy Q & A time.
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What if recognizing Jesus as your King could transform your entire spiritual life? Just as a royal coronation signifies the rise of a new monarch, our spiritual journey requires us to dethrone every other imposter king. Drawing from John 3, Galatians 2:20, and Colossians 2 we explore how union with Christ demands the death of these false rulers, birthing a new life where Jesus reigns supreme.
Many believers accept Jesus' death and resurrection but struggle to submit fully to His sovereign rule. This episode examines the chaos and discord of divided allegiances through the lens of Paul’s unwavering devotion. By embracing Jesus as our sole King, we step into a life marked by peace, consistency, and quiet confidence, irrespective of life’s external storms.
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www.thetablecalifornia.com
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The kingdom of God is unlike any other kingdom. It is not a better version of our kingdom, it is a complete overhaul and rebirth. The kingdom of this world self-appoints titles that define what the citizens of that kingdom do. Jesus gives gifts to His people that now define who they are. But those identity-gifts are only given where He is enthroned among a people as King. When we enthrone ourselves, we are forced to operate in our wisdom and authority. But when Jesus is enthroned, we receive the gifts that allow us to serve like He serves, lead like He leads, and live like He lives.
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As amazing as heavenly tongues of fire falling in Acts 2 is, it’s not the fire falling that makes Pentecost scandalous…it’s where the fire fell; on people. Pentecost ushers in a new normal for God's people; lives marked by fire AND the cross. As Jesus People, we never leave the upper room of Pentecost, and we never leave the foot of the cross.
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Jesus died to bring us into Himself. It's what we were created for - union with God. This is the born-again reality for every believer. Many come to Jesus and enjoy His proximity because of His benefits, but Scripture teaches that unless we are born again and found "in Him" then we do not have His life animating ours...His Spirit producing His fruit in us.
What can someone expect when they are born again? What can we expect from others who are born again? Are spiritual gifts evidence of a born again present reality in an individual? We look at these things today and determine to be a mature, discerning church family that is moved by the things that move God.
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Have you ever pondered the true essence of our spiritual rebirth in Christ and what it means to be born again? Today we look at this profound transformation and dissect the difference between surface-level faith and the deep surrender required to truly embrace the path Christ has laid out for us.
We delve into the ramifications of Jesus' sacrifice and its role in allowing us to transcend the sin-riddled legacy of our first parents, Adam and Eve. Our born again identity is not just for a future destination called "heaven"... we're talking about a tangible, impactful change that redefines our spiritual lineage and makes us new creations in the here and now.
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An unwavering commitment to Jesus is deeply intertwined with a love for His church. To follow Jesus means to become an active participant in the body of Christ, there's just no way around that. Many of us have experienced our deepest wounds from the church, but Jesus has no plan B...the church is His Body in the earth. Matthew 16:18-19 is clear: the keys of the kingdom are given to the church and the promise of victory over every enemy of God's eternal plan is for the church.
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From Sunday April 14...As we pivot to the teachings of the Gospel of the Kingdom, we navigate the path from mere belief to authentic discipleship. Our exploration reveals the stark contrast between the commonly taught gospel of repentance and the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus preached. This episode challenges us to examine our definition of faith, urging a deeper commitment that extends beyond words—into a life led by His example. The call of Jesus is clear: to transition from believers to true disciples we must follow Him wherever He leads.
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Our hearts often battle between what's visible to the eye and what's discerned through faith. Join us as we reflect on the critical moments where Abraham and Lot's paths diverge, leading us to consider our own choices—are they driven by sight or by the assurance of things hoped for? The stories of these biblical figures serve as a compass, guiding us to trust in God's promises, even when the fertile plains of immediate gratification tempt us astray. We explore the profound impact that faith-based decisions have on our spiritual walk, emphasizing the importance of looking beyond the horizon of our understanding.
In a world that often equates meekness with weakness, we invite you to reframe your perspective through the lens of scripture. By examining the lives of Abraham and Jesus, we shed light on the true strength of meekness—a power perfectly controlled, a strength wielded with restraint.
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John writes in Revelation 5:1 that Jesus has loved us and released (lyo) us from our sin in His blood. It is a total release and separation from...because of His love and by the power of His blood. The resurrection is heavens announcement that this is true, and the sacrifice of the Lamb was sufficient.
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Jesus is Lord of all. Jesus is King. And because He is Lord of all, nowhere should He be seen more as Lord on the earth than in the church…the assembling together of His body. How we gather, and under WHO we gather, either opens the door for Jesus' leadership in our midst, or it closes that door. Jesus does not gather with the church to be a spectator to what we are doing, He gathers with us as Chief Shepherd of His sheep to guide us, speak to us, comfort us, and pastor us.
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On this side of the cross, we may not be familiar with altar sacrifice as worship, but make no mistake about it, we are people of the altar. Altars become memorial stones in our history that remind us who God is and what God has done. When famines happen around us, our altars help to ground us into the reality of which kingdom we actually belong to.
Abraham was an altar-builder, but when he encountered a famine in the land God had brought him to, Abraham abandoned his altars and moved from a place of fear and reason...moving out of the Promised Land and into Pharaoh's land. There were consequences for abandoning his altars. We can learn much from Abraham's actions in Genesis 12:7-13:4.
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Ours is a gospel of full, ongoing, surrender to Jesus and His cross. Abraham was invited to go on a walk with God...this invitation was a gift of grace. But what Abraham did with that invitation was up to him, and each day required a fresh surrender to the journey. We are no different. The story of Abraham is the story of the gospel...called by grace, surrendered by faith.
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www.thetablecalifornia.com
This is an exciting update for our local church family!
To access the drawings mentioned in the update, please follow this link:
https://www.thetablecalifornia.com/sermon-notes
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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The life of faith demands a total separation from the way we used to do things so that we can devote ourselves to a life of holiness that shows the world who God is. This is why Scripture encourages the believer to, “Come out from among them and be separate." The invitation to follow Jesus is unmerited, it is all grace...but what we do with that invitation requires an act of intentional surrender. Jesus is glorified when His people live lives of surrender.
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God came to Abraham and disrupted him with a call to leave all he had ever known and come to a new land. The story of Abraham is our story...God comes to us and calls us to leave the life we are living and follow Him on a new path. And just like Abraham, we are often tempted to try and bring some of the things from our old life into the new one. This life of faith that we are called to live is a life of total surrender and commitment to Jesus.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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Tonight we jump back into our study of Genesis. We pick up in Genesis 11, the story of the Tower of Babel. What we find though, is the real story is not so much the tower, or even the language...this is a story of a people laying the foundations of a city that is the antithesis of everything that God is building in the earth. It's a tale of two cities, the city of man and the city of God. The question for us is are we building bricks for that earthly city or becoming living stones for the heavenly city?
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
From our Thursday night house church gathering...we looked at what the Scriptures say about prophecy and some practical things that we can do as a church family to speak prophetically to one another. Prophecy has often been mishandled in the church at large, but that doesn't mean we throw it out...it means we jealously desire for the authentic and we take the time to mature in this gift, asking the Holy Spirit to teach us. The encouragement from Scripture is to earnestly desire that we would prophesy. As a church family, we want to do just that.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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God's wisdom is similar to God's rest...it is altogether different from any measure of wisdom or rest we could find in the world. Today we look at 1 Corinthians 1 and 2 as well as Proverbs to see that heavenly wisdom is the wisdom of the cross...and anyone who chooses to live their lives according to this ultimate wisdom will bear the marks of the cross on their souls.
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This is some supplemental teaching to Sunday night's message on bearing the scar of rest. We look at the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10, flesh out the legacy of the tribes of Reuben and Gad choosing to not enter into the promised rest of the Promised Land, and consider what the writer of Hebrews means by "strive to enter into that rest."
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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As we continue looking at the characteristic marks of the followers of Jesus, tonight we look at divine rest. Is the rest that Jesus invites us into anything different from the absence of activity or the feeling of tranquility and peace? What makes His rest any different from what the world has to offer us by way of rest? As we see in Scripture, the rest that is offered to followers of Jesus is all together different and superior to the inferior rest of this age.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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We continue our study on the scars that followers of Jesus can expect to bear. Forgiveness left scars on Jesus' body that He still bears right now on the throne. He forgave us all of our trespasses, and if His nature and character is being formed in us, we must also forgive those who wound us. This is not easy, Jesus knows this...but His grace is available to all who would choose to walk in His ways of forgiveness.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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Paul writes in Romans 8:29 that we are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ...the resurrected One. The scars that Jesus still bears on His body testify of what was accomplished on the cross. If we are to bear His image, then He intends for us to also bear scars that tell the stories of every time we chose to allow the Holy Spirit to crucify in our flesh the deeds of Adam.
Tonight we introduce what we will be spending the next few weeks discussing; the scars of the New Jesus People that come from walking in the ways of Christ...forgiveness, generosity, humility, love, rest, wisdom, etc.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
We were blessed to have Jonah Husted share with us tonight. Jonah shared on his experience growing up in the mission field and what this taught him about the contrast between the culture of the world and the culture of the kingdom of God and how we carry the culture of the kingdom into the world, ultimately bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
This time of year there seems to be a flurry of prophetic activity in the church regarding what the new year will bring. This evening we discussed God's design for the release of His word and how we as a church family can best steward His word.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we keep one eye on the manger and one eye on the cross. Communion celebrates the cross of Christ and all that He now joins us to through communion with His body and blood. Communion joins us to:
-divine life
-the cross
-family
-the spiritual realm
-profound mystery
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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We continue looking at the words of Jesus in Mark 11:17, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." Today we talk about what it means to be a family of prayer...specifically, becoming a family that knows how to wait on God in prayer and comes to Him in prayer as sons and daughters.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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We continue looking at what Jesus said in Mark 11:15-17, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." What does it mean to be a house of prayer? Tonight we looked at the priesthood of all believers and the necessity of ministering to the Lord first. This is part I of the message. Part II will be shared next week.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
Tonight we shared some of the vision the Lord has given us for how we will gather in the coming weeks and Hannah Riedel taught us about knowing our identity in Christ. Please check out the list of Bible verses that Hannah references in her message. They are a powerful tool for study and prayer. You can access them on the sermon notes section of the website.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
Tonight we talked more about what it means for the church to be the HOUSE of prayer of all nations. Do we need buildings, brands, and leaders...and if so, what are those things in the house of the Lord?
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
What does it mean to be a covenant people? Tonight we looked at 3 qualities of the covenant family of God as seen in Genesis 9: covenant people are blessed, they understand the tension of covenant freedom and restriction, and the covenant family honors the signs of the covenant.
Also, all sermon notes from our Sunday gatherings are now available on the new website: www.thetablecalifornia.com
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
We began our discussion on discipleship this week, answering the questions we introduced last week from chapters 1 and 2 of "The Master Plan of Evangelism" By Robert Coleman.
The questions for next week from chapters 3 and 4 are:
Chapter 31. What is the first and most important thing a disciple learns to do?
2. What would disqualify someone from being a disciple?
3. What does Jesus demand from those who would be leaders in His church?
Chapter 4
1. How can we help those we are discipling come to know the commitment they are making to the kingdom?
2. How will the world ever be convinced that our gospel is true? And what does this have to do with discipleship?
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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Tonight we look at 7 reasons why God wants to bring His people to the end of themselves. We continue our journey through Genesis and discuss why it was necessary for Noah to be brought to the end of himself before the Lord brought him into the next season.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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This is the audio from the discussion time at our first house church gathering. We introduced the book we will be reading over the next few weeks, "The Master Plan of Evangelism" by Robert Coleman ($7 on Amazon...highly recommended).
We will begin our study of discipleship next week. Read the first two chapters and consider these questions as you read:
Chapter 1
1. What qualities was Jesus looking for in those He would disciple?
2. Why did Jesus concentrate His discipleship efforts on just a few?
Chapter 2
1. What was Jesus’ primary method of discipleship?
2. Why did Jesus only reveal Himself to His disciples after the resurrection?
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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From October, 22...Tonight we talked about the significance of THE TABLE before continuing our walk through Genesis. The Lord was the one who closed the door behind Noah. Doors protect, doors separate, and doors connect. What do we do when a door closes and the new door has not yet opened? What do we do when we want to take something, or someone, from a previous season into a new season...but the door closes on them? Let's grow up into a mature church family that understands that we serve a sovereign God who alone ordains times and seasons...and doors.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
From October 29...Tonight we take a break from our walk through Genesis to look at the vision the Lord is giving us for this church family. We see in Jesus' words in Mark 11 that the house of God is a "House of prayer for all nations." "House" speaks to the family of God living in communion with one another. "Prayer" speaks to the family of God living in communion with Him. And "nations" speaks to the lost who are not yet in the family of God, but who God desires to be in communion with. We look at the first component tonight, "house," to see what God's design for His house is and how we intend to build THAT house.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
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How nice it would be if our obedience was immediately followed by reward. But the way of the kingdom often takes us through the process of suffering...as a RESULT of our obedience. This was the case for Noah; obedience to all that God commanded him to do followed by 120 years of labor, ridicule, and trial. Mature saints understand this walk of obedience and the embrace the pressure and the trials, knowing that our faith is strengthened through trials.
For more information on Pearl Chapel, please visit www.PearlChapel.com
We continue our journey through God's story today, looking at Genesis 6:14-22. We look at the magnitude of Noah's obedience and how the ark that carried him and his family through the storm foreshadows the salvation that we find in Christ.
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This morning Bob shared part 2 of the message he began on Thursday night. We walked through Romans 5 and 6 and saw how powerful this gospel is that we have received...and the incredible born again life we have now received. We are a new humanity! The question is, do we actually know what we have received? Do we know the power of the cross to bring us into victory over sin and this age? Do we actually know who we are? The apostolic writing of Paul to the church in Rome shows us that these things may be in our account, but that doesn't mean we automatically experience the reality of them in our lives. Let's grab hold of the born again, kingdom reality that the cross of Jesus accomplishes.
For more about Bob Gladstone, to order his books, and to partner with his ministry please visit:
www.thekingspeople.org
For more information on Pearl Chapel, please visit www.PearlChapel.com
We were honored to have Bob Gladstone share with us tonight. Bob and his wife, Jeana, give leadership to a house church community in Charlotte, NC. Bob shared with us God's eternal purpose in conforming us into the image of His Son...and how often this looks like trials, wilderness, and testing. How we approach these seasons of difficulty directly impact the image of Jesus that we bear in our lives and that we show to the world around us.
For more about Bob, to order his books, and to give toward his ministry please visit: www.thekingspeople.org
For more information on Pearl Chapel, please visit www.PearlChapel.com
This morning we look at a fascinating passage from Genesis 6. As enticing as it is to go down the rabbit hole of the mystery of Nephilim and fallen angels, the real story of Genesis 6 is the scandalous grace that God pours out on Noah. Grace is always looking for a place to land. In Noah's day, grace found a blameless man to land on...and 2,000 years ago Grace stood up from His throne, wrapt Himself in flesh, and stepped down. Jesus is the embodiment of grace. And now, on this side of the cross, it is scandalous the measure of grace that sons and daughters of Adam are able to inherit as sons and daughters of God.
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This morning we were so blessed to have Scott Volk share with us. Scott posed the question to us, asking if we would be the church, not just attend the church. To rightly be the church, we must diligently preserve the unity of the Spirit, become irresistibly hospitable, and live radically generous. This was a timely and foundational message for our church family.
For more information on Scott Volk and how you can support his ministry to the church in Israel, please visit:
www.TogetherForIsrael.org
For more information on Pearl Chapel, please visit www.PearlChapel.com
Enoch walked with God and was no more. What does it mean to walk with God? Are we living lives that can be described as "walking with God"? Today we continue our journey through God's word, looking at Genesis 5. We look at how a life of faith can cause us to defy the gravitational pull of Adam's grave.
As always, if you would like to have a copy of the transcript from this or any of our messages, you can download all of those on the MEDIA page of the Pearl Chapel website.
For more information on Pearl Chapel, please visit www.PearlChapel.com
The Bible teaches us that salvation comes to us as a free gift of grace by faith alone. The gift of freedom from sin and union with God is freely given to anyone who believes that Jesus is who He says He is…and it is exclusive of our effort or works or good ideas, family lineage, nationality, cultural upbringing, or denominational heritage. Nothing we can do for God through religious works will cause us to be any more righteous or forgiven than what He says we are. If Genesis 3 showed us the root of sin, then here in Genesis 4 we have the fruit of sin.
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Jesus is the Seed of the Redeemer that would defeat the serpent. He so completely entered into the full depth of Adam's Fall and brought salvation and freedom to the sons of Adam. Today we looked at the las half of Genesis 3; the judgement proclaimed to the serpent, Adam, and Eve...the curse on our land, the significance of toiling for bread for a land of thorns and thistles, and the sword that guards the way to the tree of life. Get your notepads ready...today's message is like drinking from a firehose.
For more information on Pearl Chapel, please visit www.PearlChapel.com
Analisia Cook shared with us this morning from Genesis 2:1-3, the Sabbath rest of the Lord. We looked at the origins of this holy day, it's role in Israel's history, and how Jesus treated the Sabbath. We also asked the important question for ourselves; is the Sabbath for the New Covenant or is it fulfilled in Christ, no longer to be observed?
For more information on Pearl Chapel, please visit www.PearlChapel.com
This week we continued to look at Genesis 3 and the effects of the Fall. Adam responded to God walking in the garden with fear and shame. His sin had created a mythological god who he had never seen before. As sons of Adam, we also respond to God through the lens of Adam's brokenness, until the blood of Jesus washes us of our sin and the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see the beauty of God in the face of Jesus.
For more information on Pearl Chapel, please visit www.PearlChapel.com
It could be said that Genesis 3 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible. Everything was going so good in creation, until it wasn't. The story of Adam and Eve's disobedience is our story. We were with them in the garden on the day they were deceived. To understand the world around us, and the powerful grace of the cross of Christ, we must understand Genesis 3.
For more information on Pearl Chapel, please visit www.PearlChapel.com
Today we continue our journey through God's story beginning in Genesis. We will take a look at God's design for the family and, ultimately, the church. When God formed a counterpart for Adam, He not only gave him a helper, He gave humanity a living, breathing metaphor that would point to the Bride that He one day would give to His Son.
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Today we look at the significance of Adam's assignment in the Garden and how it foreshadows the churches assignment today. We also look at humanities connection to the land and how the land man possesses reflects in the natural something the man is experiencing in the spiritual. And as always, we want to find what the passage we are studying says about the nature of God, where Jesus is in the passage, and what the passage says about us.
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What does it mean that we are created in the image and likeness of God and what is the significance of God giving dominion to man? Today we look at the creation of man and what this creation story says about God, us, and how we can see Jesus in this passage.
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When we acknowledge God as the source of all things then our lives are ordered according to His design. Because God is the author of this story, nothing will have the authority to steal His sovereign design for those who are in Christ.
Today begins our journey as a church family through God's story. There is a lot of mystery that surrounds the creation story, but one thing is clear; God makes all things new.
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Today we looked at God's covenant love for Israel and His eternal purpose in bringing the gospel to Gentiles for the salvation of Israel. Praise God that He is a covenant keeping God, and because His covenant with Israel will never be broken, we know that any promise He gives to us He will also keep.
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To be a people who have entered into kingdom rest, and remain in rest, it is vital that we know God as the Abba revealed in Christ. Just as important is that we understand that we are not servants working to earn a wage, we are sons and daughters resting in our Father's house. The enemy will do all he can to steal the identity of sonship from us. We must hold fast to the word of the Lord spoken over our lives and be a people who show the world what kingdom rest can look like, even in the midst of shaking and trials.
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Today we had a round-table discussion with some of the Pearl Chapel family. We discussed Sabbath rest, practical ways to implement Sabbath, God's design for His people to celebrate the Sabbath, and reasons we may feel opposition to honoring the Sabbath as new covenant believers. We would encourage you to listen all the way through this discussion as the points brought up are rich and varied,
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Continuing last weeks discussion on kingdom rest...if kingdom rest is only found in the King, how do we maintain a lifestyle of union with Jesus when we live in a world that is manufacturing their rest apart from Him? How do we become a people content in all things? And what are the seasonal rhythms of the kingdom that we need to understand in order to life as a people of rest?
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Rest, like everything else in the kingdom, is found IN Jesus. The rest that He Himself enjoys is not something that He detaches from Himself and gives to us, the gift is the invitation to come to Him and He will bring us into His rest. Like the Israelites coming out of the wilderness, we also must cross over and enter in to the promised inheritance of rest.
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Whatever we look at we move towards and whatever we look at we empower. By fixing your eyes on Jesus, you are empowering Him, you are releasing Him to do what He wants to do in your situation. It's an act of faith and surrender...two things that He can't help but respond to. So don't enthrone your situation by giving it any more attention than it deserves…don’t look at the wind and the waves, look at the One who has authority to calm every storm. Enthrone Jesus by looking to Him and release God into your situation.
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When we cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in our life we are then able to show the world who God is. As we saw this morning, there is one fruit of the Spirit....love...and everything else we do or experience issues forth from love. Without love, we accomplish nothing, we gain nothing, and we show the world nothing of eternal value.
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The resurrection is heaven's "AMEN" shout to everything Jesus said and did. The cross is the gate that leads to resurrection glory. Just as Jesus embraced His cross, as followers of Him, we are also called to live a life marked by the cross and empowered by the resurrection.
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When Jesus comes He comes with the sword to separate us from anything that keeps us separated from Him. His judgements are aimed at whatever separates us from His love. He will not leave us as He found us, and mature saints long for His judgements to come and bear on them.
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Could it be that the gospel in the west has such a low retention rate because it's not the gospel that Jesus preached? The gospel of the kingdom is the gospel that heaven endorses, and it's the gospel of the kingdom that will lead to a transformed life...not the gospel of repentance, not the gospel of behavior modification. Let's be sure that we are receiving Jesus' gospel...and giving away this beautiful gospel of the kingdom.
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While we wish we could share with you the beautiful message we heard this morning, for security reasons, and out of honor for the family member that shared with us today, we chose to keep things "in house." We will get back to normal next week, though!
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As we head down into the Pacific Ocean for baptisms, we look briefly at how baptism isn't just symbolism...it is actually part of our consecration into the priesthood. This is the beginning of mining the depths of another of the sacraments the Lord has given us; and, just as we have discovered with communion, when we refuse the narrative of sacramental symbolism, we discover the beauty and power of these gifts the Lord has given us.
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There is a fundamental moment in the midst of transition that most believers don't recognize, and even fewer identify it in real-time. It's the emptying of the wineskin for the sake of renewal...it's the presence of the Lord going ahead of Israel a three days journey to find a resting place for them. We must be able to discern the season we are in and what God is wanting to accomplish in the earth in OUR day.
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We believe God is raising up a New Jesus People, and the Lord has given us a glimpse of them. As we discern this season of laying foundations, we take a look at what Haggai has to teach us about the importance of having God's heart for His house and prioritizing His desires over our own...and how this creates a house of Jesus People that will be able to support the weight of His glory when He comes into His house.
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We expand on last week's message which showed us that we are the righteousness of God in Christ, we are holy, and we resist anything that would contaminate that distinction. This week we look at how this identity puts us on the path of maturity.
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If you are "in Christ" then it is illegal for you to think something about yourself that Jesus doesn't think about you. Are God's people righteous? Are God's people holy? Can we live free from sin in this life? This message is a foundational, must listen to message to understand what God is doing in our church family.
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The Lord has been gracious to us. He has manifested Himself in our midst recently in unusual ways. How we respond to Him when He comes determines how much we receive from Him in the future. Will we treat these gifts of grace casually or will we radically reorient our lives to respond to Him with honor and wonder? We put a stake in the ground today and declared that we understand the season and we are going all in...fully abandoned to the purposes of God.
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The word spoken is always life-giving, but in the kingdom, only that which goes through the process of death, burial, and resurrection has the life of the Spirit in it. David Brymer shares a word with us about how only the word that dies can be part of the new royal priesthood...along the order of Melchizedek.
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Today, as we celebrate our 2 month anniversary as a church family, we tell the story of how we got here and where we are going. The Lord has given us clear vision, and we are committed to build God's house according to the pattern shown to us "on the mountain."
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Desire is a gift, but at some point desire must move us into intentional seeking. We don't want to just desire God, we want to seek after Him with our whole heart. The teaching of Scripture is clear; He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. As we begin our 21-day corporate fast, let's press on and lay hold of God like never before.
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We have an opportunity to utilize one of the most powerful, yet neglected, tools that the early church used to transform the world...hospitality. Lindsey Broere helps us see that Jesus and His followers demonstrated the Kingdom one meal at a time, one stranger at a time, one act of hospitality at a time. It is essential that we as a church family have a biblical understanding of what this powerful gift is, what it is not, and that we become a people who see the interruptions in our schedules as invitations to lay hold of hospitality.
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The greatest enemy of hope is time. Holding on to hope in the midst of delay can be extremely challenging. But the Lord takes us through the wilderness of waiting to teach us His ways and to form patience and endurance in us. Let's grow into mature saints who understand God's ways and know how to patiently endure whatever waiting may come with the promises of God.
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According to John 17:23, the exact same love that the Father has for His Beloved Son, the Father has for us. The love of the Father predates everything…even our sin that made repentance necessary. If we truly want to know God as Father, we must know Him as the God revealed to us in Christ.
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An abbreviated message following a prophetic word that was shared with our church family on Sunday morning. How we steward the promises of God determines if those promises move from seed form to germination and maturity.
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AUTHENTIC CHURCH IN THE MIDST OF REVOLUTION (12/4/22):
When God begins to move in a generation, His people sense the coming shift. Many can sense the shift that is taking place in the church right now. Discerning the season is not enough. How we respond to the shifting will determine whether we move with a spirit that tears down or builds up. The authentic church, described for us in Scripture, will respond to the shift in ways that confirm the language that she uses.
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IT'S HIS HOUSE (11/20/22):
Our first Sunday gathering. "We refuse to build a house that may be comfortable for men but it’s unrecognizable to the God who is looking for a place to rest His Head. He will not fill a house that He does not recognize. No matter how much we call it church and tell the world come to our church, if God is not in the house, then what are we inviting them into? We are obsessed with building God's house according to God's design."
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GATHERING IS NOT ENOUGH (11/27/22):
Now that God has poured out His Spirit, simply gathering together as a collection of individuals isn’t enough. We may gather, and we may sing, and we may enjoy each others company for an hour or two on Sunday…but until our hearts are knit together as family we may very well enjoy the oil of His presence, but God won’t have His house.
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THE BODY SELF-REGULATES (11/3/22):
The openness of the Lord’s table exposes the hidden motives of hearts. The freedom that Jesus gives His church of being led by the Spirit when we gather uncovers anything that is carnal. Family-oriented, Spirit-led church exposes the flesh.
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IT'S HIS HOUSE (10/21/22):
From the opening session of our 24-hour prayer gathering. It is vital for God's people to have God's vision for His house. When we say "church" the picture that comes to mind must agree with what He imagines when He says "church." Until that happens, we may build a house that we are familiar with but not one that He can be Himself in.
For more information on Pearl Chapel, please visit www.PearlChapel.com