The Longing: Recent Episodes
Trenton Prieshoff
There is a longing in each one of us for more: more direction, more purpose, more peace, more healing
In a world that is consumed with fear, suspicion, and moral outrage, as Christians we should instead choose to live with compassion, praise, and love.
We know very little about Mary’s personal life, but what we do know about her shows her to be a remarkable young woman with incredible devotion to God and deep strength of character.
Advent is a time of preparation … preparing to have
- The same longingto be part of the work of God
- The same readiness to take a risk
- The same understanding of Jesus’ mission
In a world where everyone talks about what they deserve, we should take on the nature of a servant.
And in a world that judges by hearsay, gossip, and outward appearances, we should judge with equality.
When we ask “Where is God in all this mess?” God says that
- Your hard labor is completed
- Your sins are forgiven
- Your belonging is restored
When people around you are asking “Where is God in all this mess?” You are the answer to their prayers.
In Advent, the coming of Jesus, God promises people of every nation that
- They will cry out and he will save them
- They will know His heart
- They will be able to praise and worship together as one
- They, too, will be a blessing to every nation!
This is part of a 4-part series in which we discuss the book of Colossians. My hope is that by the end of the series, everyone will be able to feel comfortable articulating what this book is about in just a few sentences.
In the worship service, we will be reading through the entire book together over the course of these four weeks, but you won’t hear it in the audio.
The heart of Jesus is about overcoming the distrust and hostility that we have in our relationships so that you can have the restored relationship without the conflict.
Overcoming conflict is not the same thing as overpowering conflict… that doesn’t restore relationships, it drives them away.
Overcoming conflict is not the same thing as overlooking conflict… that doesn’t restore relationships, it makes them fester and rot.
And this is where we so often mess up because the goal in conflict isn’t to win or to bury the whole thing, the goal is reconciliation.
Series Info:
Several years ago, the book “Freakonomics” showed some surprising insights about the way we think about and use money: our economics changes the way we understand morality and build relationships.
The cover showed an apple with a slice cut out of it, revealing an orange on the inside. In the same way, the grace of God undermines our assumptions about the kind of world we live in: it turns it on it’s head and brings the whole system crashing down.
In This Lesson:
[I use an illustration with a bunch of stuffed animals, lined up in chairs. Each one visually represents the five groups of workers hired by the man who owns the vineyard in Jesus’ story]
In Jesus’ story, the workers complain that it’s not fair for people who worked ONE HOUR to be paid the same as those who worked TWELVE HOURS.
…admitedly, their complaint seems like [...]
Series Info:
Several years ago, the book “Freakonomics” showed some surprising insights about the way we think about and use money: our economics changes the way we understand morality and build relationships.
The cover showed an apple with a slice cut out of it, revealing an orange on the inside. In the same way, the grace of God undermines our assumptions about the kind of world we live in: it turns it on it’s head and brings the whole system crashing down.
In This Lesson:
[I use an illustration of pouring water from one cup to another. You will hear longer pauses and the sound of water as it is being poured from one cup to another. Later, when I take volunteers, the cups are positioned so that:
- As I pour water into one cup it becomes full
- As the cup is filled, it overflows and fills the second cup under it
- The second cup [...]
Series Info:
Several years ago, the book “Freakonomics” showed some surprising insights about the way we think about and use money: our economics changes the way we understand morality and build relationships.
The cover showed an apple with a slice cut out of it, revealing an orange on the inside. In the same way, the grace of God undermines our assumptions about the kind of world we live in: it turns it on it’s head and brings the whole system crashing down.
In This Lesson:
[I use an illustration of a trophy shelf. You will hear some short pauses when I am setting up trophies on the shelf]
We operate under an assumption called “the myth of scarcity.” Our brains are conditioned to assume there is not enough… and to think of “just enough” as “not enough” which causes us to stash up as much as we can of everything we can.
God does not provide for us so that [...]
Series Info:
Several years ago, the book “Freakonomics” showed some surprising insights about the way we think about and use money: our economics changes the way we understand morality and build relationships.
The cover showed an apple with a slice cut out of it, revealing an orange on the inside. In the same way, the grace of God undermines our assumptions about the kind of world we live in: it turns it on it’s head and brings the whole system crashing down.
In This Lesson:
[I use an illustration of a “scale” in which I drop rocks to tip the scales. And then I knock the whole thing over.]
The world works off the principle of supply and demand in which…
WORK hard –> to gain ABILITIES –> to have VALUE & [...]
In this part of our “Hot Topics” series, we will discuss what the bible says about suicide … But more importantly what it says about life!
The bible does not tell us what we should think of suicide, but there are many misunderstandings and wrong teachings about suicide … most of which do not come from the bible, but from history and politics.
I use a ton of scripture references throughout this, so I will list them out here for your reference:
Judges 9:52-54
Judges 16:25-30
1 Samuel 31:4-5
2 Samuel 17:23
1 Kings 16:15-20
Matthew 27:3-5
Ecclesiastes 2:17
1 Kings 19:4
Job 3, 6:8-10
2 Corinthians 1:8
1 Kings 19:15-18
Philippians 1:21
Psalm 139:1, 13
Luke 12:7
Psalm 56:8
Hebrews 2:11
Genesis 1:26
Romans 15:3
Matthew 25:40
Matthew 5:3
Lamentations 3:19-24
Psalm 8:6
Genesis 2:5-7,15-18,23< [...]
This week, we continue journeying through some really difficult issues that are often neglected in church. This week, we will talk about mental illnesses and why medical knowledge is important as we look at what Scripture says.
Addiction is something that is not talked about in church often.
Some think the Bible doesn’t really say much about it. And that is true … kind of.
The language and politics of how we talk about and treat addictions and the people who suffer addictions is fairly new, but as we gain a better understanding of the human brain and how addiction works within the brain, the biblical view of human life and the gospel message of Jesus Christ actually address addiction in a powerful and meaningful way, even for the modern world.
There are many people who are really hurt when you talk about God as “Our Father in heaven.” And yet, every Sunday, we pray to “Our Father who art in heaven,” at the command of Jesus who called God “Father.”
What does it mean to call God “Father?”
You don’t need to be taught “how to do evangelism.” You need to be released from the way you have trained yourself to be uncomfortable with the struggles of your own faith.
When evangelism is a strategy, you will act like a strategist and treat people like projects … But when evangelism is a conversation, you will seem like a real person and you’ll treat people like people.
You don’t need to be taught “how to do evangelism.” You need to be released from the way you have trained yourself to be uncomfortable with the struggles of your own faith.
When evangelism is a strategy, you will act like a strategist and treat people like projects … But when evangelism is a conversation, you will seem like a real person and you’ll treat people like people.
In this last installment of our series on Wealth and Wisdom, we will talk about how to walk the line between the tension of being generous as well as frugal.
In this series, we are discussing the way that we seek to live the right way and how the way we handle our wealth contributes to that. This week, we learn about the concept of tithing:
What tithing is really all about is to change your heart to trust God more faithfully, celebrate him with thankfulness, and share with others from your abundance more generously.
Wisdom is not something God created, it is who He is. To act with wisdom and knowledge is to behave in a way that is in line with the way God acts.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”: The path of knowledge isn’t about carrying around the book of Proverbs as a rule book; as we know the heart of God deeply that we begin to act like Him with wisdom and justice.
Where are we in the shifting sands of the world?
What can we do to bring life and fire back into the church?
My goal, for one, is to Cultivate a Culture of Creativity… and I hope you will join me in that.
This was a relatively lenghty meeting, but we had a lot of great conversation and I managed to whittle it down to a manageable listen. Please send me feedback on your own hopes and thoughts if you get a chance to listen through this!
Without the Resurrection, every story of death and brokenness remains a story of defeat. But because of the Resurrection, every story of brokenness and loss can be healed and transformed into a story of victory, hope, and celebration.
So believe in the resurrection. Believe it for yourself and for the sake of a world in desperate need of new life. Rise from the dead and come alive in the power of the Holy Spirit!
In this series, we are diving in to have a better understanding of where we’ve come from: The “methods” that gave us the name of “Methodists” and the madness that has has sometimes steered us off course.
For better or worse, we are shaped by both the methods and the madness. We are products of our circumstances, but we are also products of God’s grace. Because of that, we will always have to navigate the constant changes and shifting sands of the culture around us as we resist the pull to be “like all the other nations.”
And the answer is never to simply repeat the patterns of before.
It is to seek the same Spirit as those before us.
In this series, we are diving in to have a better understanding of where we’ve come from: The “methods” that gave us the name of “Methodists” and the madness that has has sometimes steered us off course. For better or worse, we are shaped by both the methods and the madness and it is important to understand them both if we are to reclaim our vision and passion.
In this fourt lesson, we hear from Pastor Trent’s personal story and get deep in the “maddness” part of this “Methods and Madness” series.
In this series, we are diving in to have a better understanding of where we’ve come from: The “methods” that gave us the name of “Methodists” and the madness that has has sometimes steered us off course. For better or worse, we are shaped by both the methods and the madness and it is important to understand them both if we are to reclaim our vision and passion.
In this lesson, we’ll explore the why Candy Crush is so addicting as well as what the first methodists called the “Danger of Riches.”
In this new series, we are diving in to have a better understanding of what it means to be a Methodist. This is what I am excited about in our heritage and what it means for our future.
In this new series, we are diving in to have a better understanding of what it means to be a Methodist. This is what I am excited about in our heritage and what it means for our future.
In this series, I hope to encourage, equip, and empower you to develop spiritual habits for a spiritual life.
In most of the lessons we have had to this point, we have talked about what you can do on your own. Today I want to you to know that what we do together is critical to our own spiritual health.
In this series, I hope to encourage, equip, and empower you to develop spiritual habits for a spiritual life. In this lesson, we talk about how to develop a practice of meditation and what it means to “Practice the Presence of God.”
In this series, I hope to encourage, equip, and empower you to develop spiritual habits for a spiritual life. In this lesson, we talk about how to develop a practice of prayer and why it is meaningful and worthwhile to do so!
We all want to be more spiritual people, what practices can we develop to accomplish that?
In this second message in the series, we will discuss why sleep and rest are important disciplines for your spiritual walk.
We all want to be more spiritual people, what practices can we develop to accomplish that?
In this first message in the series, we will talk about some of the baggage we carry with us that makes it difficult to spend time with God by reading scripture.
In the season of Epiphany, we are launched out into the world in this “Eureka” moment when the solution to our struggles suddenly shows up right on our doorsteps … in a way we would never have expected and at a time we weren’t even looking for.
How can we be salt and light?
In the season of Epiphany, we are launched out into the world in this “Eureka” moment when the solution to our struggles suddenly shows up right on our doorsteps … in a way we would never have expected and at a time we weren’t even looking for.
What has God revealed to us?
In the season of Epiphany, we are launched out into the world in this “Eureka” moment when the solution to our struggles suddenly shows up right on our doorsteps … in a way we would never have expected and at a time we weren’t even looking for.
What is the Gospel?
Every year, we tell the Christmas story… and it’s a great story with lots of cool animals. But it’s possible we pay so much attention to the details that we forget what the story is really about.
During Christmastime, we celebrate good feelings with comfort food, and hallmark movies.
But during Advent, we wait and prepare with hope, love, joy, and peace.
During Christmastime, we celebrate good feelings with comfort food, and hallmark movies.
But during Advent, we wait and prepare with hope, love, joy, and peace.
During Christmastime, we celebrate good feelings with comfort food, and hallmark movies.
But during Advent, we wait and prepare with hope, love, joy, and peace.
During Christmastime, we celebrate good feelings with comfort food, and hallmark movies.
But during Advent, we wait and prepare with hope, love, joy, and peace.
We crown champions and inaugerate presidents, but who are the true victors of this life?
When we answer that question from God’s perspective, the answer is very surprising.
We crown champions and inaugerate presidents, but who are the true victors of this life?
When we answer that question from God’s perspective, the answer is very surprising.
What do you expect to feel when you come to worship? What is worship supposed to be like?
In this series, we will be looking at biblical examples of worship to get an idea of what makes worship meaningful.
In this fourth and final lesson in the series, we read a familiar story about idolatry as we try to understand how things can go so wrong so easily.
What do you expect to feel when you come to worship? What is worship supposed to be like?
In this series, we will be looking at biblical examples of worship to get an idea of what makes worship meaningful.
In this third lesson, I will gush about the Cub’s first NLCS win in 71 years (I swear every second of it is relevant to the lesson of scripture, though!) as we learn about how worship is an act that forms our identity and initiates us into a shared legacy that is finally expressed in the way we celebrate communion.
What do you expect to feel when you come to worship? What is worship supposed to be like?
In this series, we will be looking at biblical examples of worship to get an idea of what makes worship meaningful.
In this second lesson, we will encounter a strange, archaic ritual and what it says about the “covenant love” of God and the significance of baptism.
What do you expect to feel when you come to worship? What is worship supposed to be like?
In this series, we will be looking at biblical examples of worship to get an idea of what makes worship meaningful. In this first lesson, we read about Moses entering the deep darkness where God was and preparing ourselves and expecting to encounter the presence of God are deeply tied to what worship is.
In this two-week series, we will learn what insights we can gather from the confusing parable of the shrewd manager (Luke 16:1-7).
We learn that every tool in the hand of the enemy can be repurposed in service to God and His kingdom!
In this two-week series, we will learn what insights we can gather from the confusing parable of the shrewd manager (Luke 16:1-7).
We learn that every tool in the hand of the enemy can be repurposed in service to God and His kingdom!
In this series, we talk about what it means to be a growing church.
The central question is “Are we here to keep the wheels turning? Or to keep the fire burning?” And the underlying idea is that the church does not exist for the sake of it’s members, but for the sake of those outside the church.
In this fourth and final sermon in the series, we will learn what we need in order to get in line with the mission of God in the world.
In this series, we talk about what it means to be a growing church.
The central question is “Are we here to keep the wheels turning? Or to keep the fire burning?” And the underlying idea is that the church does not exist for the sake of it’s members, but for the sake of those outside the church.
In this third sermon, we will learn just what it means to count the cost and that the cost might just be more than we are willing to pay.
In this series, we talk about what it means to be a growing church.
The central question is “Are we here to keep the wheels turning? Or to keep the fire burning?” And the underlying idea is that the church does not exist for the sake of it’s members, but for the sake of those outside the church.
In this second sermon, we will respond to the recent Olympic wins and learn through Jesus’ teachings that “belonging comes before believing.”
In this series, we talk about what it means to be a growing church.
The central question is “Are we here to keep the wheels turning? Or to keep the fire burning?” And the underlying idea is that the church does not exist for the sake of it’s members, but for the sake of those outside the church.
In this first sermon, we learn about why the Sabbath was such a point of dispute between Jesus and other religious leaders of his day.
In this series, we will talk about what it means to be “in the world but not of the world.”
In this series, we will talk about what it means to be “in the world but not of the world.”