Thrive Harbor: Recent Episodes
Thrive Ministries
Catch the latest messages from Thrive Harbor, a multi-church young adult ministry in Gig Harbor, WA.
"Seek, and you will find." "If you seek me, you will find me." "It is time to seek the Lord." The theme of seeking God is found throughout the Scripture, and with it, a promise: if you seek God, you will find Him. As the church, how do we make good on this promise? How do we take it seriously? And what does it really mean to "find" God if God is everywhere? These questions and more are the subject of Thrive's June series, "Seek First."
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Matthew 7:7-11; 1 Samuel 10:2; 26:2; 1 Kings 18:10; 22:43; Psalm 22:26; 27:8; 40:16; 63:1; 70:4; 77:2; 105:3-4; 119:58; 139:7-10; Chronicles 14:2; 15; 22:9; 34:3, 33; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 11:6; John 1:38; 20:15; Jeremiah 23:24; Acts 17:27; Isaiah 6:1-5; Job 42:5-6; and Hosea 10:12.
What's the point of all the signs? How should the end of the world change how we live now? In the second half of Jesus' Olivet Discourse, He calls His followers to live faithfully as they watch for His coming.
This message was given by Tim Cedarland, Thrive's director emeritus.
On the Mount of Olives, Jesus gave one of his most famous speeches, the "Olivet Discourse." In it, Jesus explains how his followers can know that the end is near and what steps they should take to respond.
This message was given by Tim Cedarland, Thrive's director emeritus.
Spanning two chapters, the final and longest prophecy in Daniel surveys what will happens to the Jewish people under the Persians and the Greeks, before abruptly skipping ahead to the end of the world. Why the jump? Because once again, Daniel is learning that earlier periods of history foreshadow later ones—in this case, the rule of the Antichrist just prior to Christ’s return.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Daniel 8:19; 9:26; and 11-12.
Dean Kershner, a field director for Gospelink, has served Christ around the globe. He joins Thrive to share a special message about heeding the call of Christ to go into all the world with the good news of the gospel.
The second half of Daniel is filled with vivid predictions of the end times. But it’s not just the predictions that are vivid—it’s the way they’re delivered! Daniel’s final prophecy is conveyed to him by an awe-inspiring figure, who reveals to him an invisible world of good and evil spiritual beings. For this reason, Daniel 10 provides one of the clearest glimpses of the unseen realm that lies behind our material world.
This message was given by Alan Jones, pastor of Firebrand Church in Port Orchard, WA. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Daniel 7:14; 10; 1 Corinthians 15:24; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Deuteronomy 32:8; Genesis 3; Job 1; Genesis 6:1-4; Zechariah 3; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 12; 20; Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28; Ephesians 6:12; Ps 82; 1, 6-8; 89:5-7; and 1 Chronicles 12:32.
So far Daniel has learned that before God restores Israel’s kingdom, they will be ruled over by a succession of Gentile empires, culminating with a final end-times ruler called the Antichrist. But how long will this period last? In Daniel 9, God reveals to Daniel a 490-year timeline for Israel’s restoration. That timeline includes the destruction of the Antichrist—and most importantly, the coming of an “Anointed One” who will die and rise again.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Daniel 2:10-11; 7:25; 9; Isaiah 46:10; John 13:19; 2 Peter 1:19; Jeremiah 25:8-9, 11; Leviticus 25:2-5; 26:27-28, 33-35; Deuteronomy 30:1-3; Ezra 1:2-4; 6:6-12; 7:12-26; Nehemiah 2:5-6; Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:42; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4; Revelation 13:1-15; and Matthew 24:15.
As God reveals to Daniel what will happen to his people in the future, he teaches him the “ABCs” of how to interpret Bible prophecy—especially the role of typology. A type is a historical thing or person that foreshadows a future thing or person. And so, in Daniel 8, we’re introduced to a figure known to history as Antiochus Epiphanes. A cruel pagan king who reigned between 175-164 BC and remembered today in connection with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, Antiochus Epiphanes is a type of the Antichrist. Like the Antichrist, Antiochus was an arrogant blasphemer who desecrated the temple, oppressed the people of God—and eventually was defeated.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Matthew 24:21, 29; Daniel 7:25, 28; 8; 12:1; Revelation 7:14; and Jeremiah 30:7.
From the seventh chapter of Daniel onward, we’re given a progressively zoomed-in view of the future—and in particular, an end-times ruler the Bible calls “the Antichrist.” Who is this figure, where is he spoken of in Scripture, what will he do, and how will he be defeated? As chapter seven speaks into these questions, it also points us to how the prophecies of Daniel point us to the hope of Jesus.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include John 10:10; Mark 14:62; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8; 1 John 2:18; 4:3; Daniel 7; 9; 11; Revelation 13; John 16:21; and Matthew 24:8.
In Daniel 7, Daniel sees a vision of four world empires, represented as terrible beasts. But in Daniel 6, Daniel learns that God can deliver from beasts after spending the night in the lions’ den. How did Daniel survive the lions’ den, and what does his story have to teach us?
This message was given by David Shohradov, a member of Thrive Harbor. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 2 Timothy 4:17.
In Daniel's youth, Babylon was the world's greatest empire. Yet by the time he was an old man, the Babylonian empire had fallen. What caused such a mighty kingdom to crumble? One answer according to Daniel 5 is pride. Pride is one of the most insidious and sneakiest forms of sin, whose radical grip can only be cured by an equally radical cure.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Daniel 4:17; Jeremiah 27:5-7; 51:36-37, 39; Romans 2:1; and Philippians 2:6-8.
4. The King’s Tale (Daniel 4)
"Pride," writes pastor Tim Keller, "is the carbon monoxide of sin”—it's so subtle sometimes you don't notice it's killing you. In Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar, the most powerful man on the face of the earth, has a deeply humbling encounter with God. What leads Nebuchadnezzar to become proud? And how can God cure him—and us—of this deadly disease?
This message was given by Conner Dill, a member of Thrive Harbor. Scripture passages cited in this message include Psalm 145:8-13; Jeremiah 27:5-6; 29:7; Proverbs 21:1; and 1 Timothy 2:1-4.
Like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are examples of resilient faith: when asked to bow down to a pagan idol, they refused on pain of death. Thousands of years later, we still live in a culture that asks followers of Jesus to honor beliefs and ideologies that are opposed to God. What does it look like to confidently, courteously resist the spirit of the age and remain faithful to Jesus?
This message was given by Mike Parejo, Pierce County Community Development Officer at The Coffee Oasis.
We live in a world that is deeply broken. But for followers of Jesus the future is full of hope, because one day God will set up a kingdom in which everything broken will be made whole. In chapter two of Daniel, God reveals key information about what that kingdom will be like, to be developed over the rest of the book.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Deuteronomy 28:13, 15, 20-21, 43; Jeremiah 22:30; Leviticus 25:2-5; 26:14-16, 33-35, 43; 2 Chronicles 36:20-21; Matthew 18:22; Daniel 2; 5:30-31; 8:20-21; Luke 21:24; Revelation 11:15; and 2 Peter 1:19.
How can God's people thrive in a hostile culture? Instead of hiding from the world or blending with the world, the example of Daniel offers another way. Carried into exile in his youth, Daniel demonstrates what is required to cultivate a resilient faith that flourishes in the face of opposition.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Daniel 1; Leviticus 26:33; Genesis 11:1-4; and 1 Peter 3:15.
In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul writes that we are Christ's ambassadors. An ambassador represents someone in a foreign country. That means Christians have the incredible privilege of representing Christ to all the nations of the world. Sharing out of his long career blessing the nations for Christ, Jeff — (surname withheld for security reasons) unpacks what this calling to be Christ's ambassadors means for us today.
"What is God's plan for my life?" It may be the most common question young adults ask! But rarely do we step back and ask, "What is God's plan—in general?" God has a plan, and as we see throughout Scripture, it's a plan for all nations to see His glory. And the exciting part about that plan is: we're called to be a part of it!
Scripture passages cited in this message include Ephesians 1:9-10; Revelation 4:8; 5:9-10; John 17:24; Genesis 12:3; 18:18-19; Exodus 14:4; 18:11; 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:6; Joshua 4:24; 1 Kings 10:6-7, 9; Psalm 67; Isaiah 2:2; 49:6; Ezekiel 36:22-23; Hebrews 1:3; 1 John 2:2; Acts 8; 10; 15; Matthew 28:18-20; Colossians 1:24; and Philippians 2:25-30
1. An Unreached People Group Meets Jesus
There are over 800 people groups in Papua New Guinea. One of them is the Kaje people, which until recently was an unreached people group with no known believers. But roughly a decade ago, Thrive alums Jon & Jen Myers sold their earthly possessions and moved to the jungles of Papua New Guinea to live among the Kaje people. By the grace of God they had the privilege of sharing the gospel with the Kaje, who have now come to faith in Christ. To kick off Thrive’s January series on missions, Jon Myers shares the Kaje story.
Because of who Jesus is, we don't need to get anxious about the future. Instead, God invites us to trust Him with the uncertain things in our lives.
This message was given by Jake Chambers, pastor of Wilderness Church.
God loves to work through weakness, and that means no one is too far from His grace.
This message was given by Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap.
The world, the flesh, and the devil seek to derail the Christian life. Jesus can overcome all three.
This message was given by Tim Cedarland, Thrive's director emeritus.
Christian worship is rich tapestry of musical styles and traditions. But are there certain styles we should and shouldn't use? How do I worship if I don't like the music? And what should I do with my hands? These and other questions form the focus of this final talk on worship.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Job 38:7; Genesis 4:21; Revelation 5:9; 21:26; Exodus 15:1-21; 25:1-7; Numbers 10:1-10; 1 Chronicles 16:37-42; 2 Chronicles 29:27-28; Matthew 26:30; Acts 16:25; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 3:21; 8-10; 15:52; Psalm 63:4; 67:4; 134:2; 1 Timothy 4:4; Titus 1:15; Romans 14:17, 22-23; Mark 12:30; and Hebrews 8:1-2.
If worship is delighting in God for who He is and what He's done for us, then who is God? What we believe about God makes or breaks how we worship. If God is fundamentally power, then worship will be doctrinaire and distant. If God is fundamentally mystery, worship will be ecstatic and emotion-driven. But according to the New Testament, the God of the Bible is love. Worship, therefore, is relational and responsive, and it engages both head and heart.
Scripture passages cited in this message include John 1:1, 18; 13:31; 17:1-26; Jeremiah 2:13; and Matthew 22:37.
We apologize that due to a technical issue, the audio is somewhat distorted.
Christian statesman John Stott once said that he felt most alive "in public worship." What is worship, why do Christians do it, and how could it possibly make someone feel powerfully alive? According to Scripture, worship is the overflow of delight, and specifically delight in God. In worship, we tap into a fundamental tendency of the human heart to praise what we find beautiful, and since nothing can be more beautiful than God, worship is an experience of wonder and joy.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Psalm 18:1; 66:1-20; 95:1; 98:1; and 150:6.
Every Christian is living in a love story, of God pursuing us through our sin and rebellion to woo our hearts to Himself. But there’s one such love story that’s been canonized, and it’s the story of Israel. The story of the Jewish people is Scripture’s preeminent way to illustrate what God’s heart is really like. This message examines what Scripture says about the past, present, and future of the Jewish people, and what we learn about God from His dealings with them.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Ezekiel 16:1-19, 59-63; 36:22-23; Genesis 3:15; 5:1-29; 12:3, 7; 26:3-4; 28:13-14; 35:11-12; 45:1; Matthew 1:1; 21:43; Romans 9:6, 17; 11:1-32; Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:11-12; and Zechariah 12-14.
If you knew that you’d win a billion dollars tomorrow, it would change the way you live today. So how can Christians—who have the greatest hope for the future that there is—live lives shaped by the hope of Heaven? This final message offers seven truths that can anchor us daily as we pursue a heavenly perspective.
This message was given by Peter Churness, pastor of One Hope Church in Gig Harbor, WA. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Ephesians 6:12; 2 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Corinthians 1:8-9; 4:18; 5:7; 10:4-5; Hebrews 4:15; Romans 6:11; 8:1; 1 John 1:9; 3:1; Galatians 5:1; John 15:5; 17:3; Hosea 6:6; and Colossians 1:16.
Jesus promised His followers a home, rewards, and a wedding in Heaven. This message looks at these three promises and unpacks how we ought to live if they’re really true.
This message was given by Peter Churness, pastor of One Hope Church in Gig Harbor, WA. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include John 14:1-3; Matthew 5:11-12; 6:1-4; 10:42; 19:21, 27-29; 24:42; 25:5; Luke 10:20; 17:21; 19:11-19; Revelation 21:2, 9; Philippians 3:20; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:13; Romans 8:19-21; Ephesians 1:3, 18-21; 2:6; and 2 Peter 3:11-14.
Many Christians fear Heaven will be boring and uninteresting. But the Bible's depiction of Heaven is anything but. Heaven is a place of ever-increasing glory, wonder, and delight as God's redeemed people enjoy His presence forever on a renewed physical earth. Focusing on what the Bible says about Heaven, this message unfolds seven truths about the future home awaiting the people of God.
This message was given by Peter Churness, pastor of One Hope Church in Gig Harbor, WA. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Revelation 20:4; 21:1-5; Luke 16:19-31; 22:4-5; 23:43; Matthew 17:1-5; Acts 3:21; Colossians 3:1-2; 2:16-17; Hebrews 9:23-24; Ephesians 2:6-7; 2 Timothy 2:12; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2; and Romans 8:31-32.
The theme of Thrive's 2023 Fall Retreat is the hope of Heaven. It would be impossible to overstate how breathtakingly wonderful Scripture's teaching about Heaven is. Far from our culture's picture of Heaven as a boring place of disembodied spirits, the Bible presents Heaven as a resurrected world in resurrected bodies with the resurrected Man, Jesus Christ, at the center of it all.
This message was given by Peter Churness, pastor of One Hope Church in Gig Harbor, WA. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Corinthians 15:35-37; 13:13; Philippians 1:21; Matthew 19:28-30; Isaiah 65:17-19; Revelation 21:5; 2 Peter 3:5-7, 13; Acts 3:19-21; Romans 8:18-25; and Hebrews 6:19.
The last chapter of Galatians includes one of Paul's most famous exhortations: to keep on doing good and not give up. Wrapping up Thrive's series on Galatians, this message unpacks how Paul encourages believers to persevere in following Christ no matter the obstacles.
This message was given by Drew Dawson, pastor of Resurrection Church in Gig Harbor, WA.
We apologize that due to a technical issue, the recording starts a few minutes into the message.
There's an army of influencers out there, claiming to offer you the way to the good life. But for followers of Jesus, the good life means "keeping in step with the Spirit." The more we lay down our own agendas, paradoxically the more we're fulfilled as the Spirit transforms us into people of joy and love.
This message was given by Rod Graciano, founder of Timothy Ministries. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Galatians 5:14, 16-26; Matthew 2:10; John 16:22; Hebrews 12:2; Romans 8:28; Luke 9:23; and James 1:2-4.
9. Galatians 5:1-15
Young adulthood often revolves around the pursuit of freedom: freedom to travel, chase your dreams, and have great experiences. But Scripture defines freedom differently than our culture does. Biblically, freedom isn't the pursuit of fleeting pleasures; freedom is liberation from our sin and selfishness so that we can live a life of love. Or in the words of Jesus, "Everyone who sins is a slave to sin ... so if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:34, 36)
This message was given by Tim Stobbe, pastor of WayPoint Church in Gig Harbor, WA.
Many young adults wrestle with shame. Even in a secular culture that has lost the concept of sin, we still feel guilty even if we're not sure why, often leading to anxiety and depression. According to Scripture, the reason for this is the condemnation of "the law," some set of standards that we know we don't measure up to. How can we be free from slavery to the law? Only through the gospel.
This message was given by Jacob Meadows, pastor of Anchor of Hope Reformed Church in Silverdale, WA.
The result of legalism is always slavery. So when Paul saw the Galatians voluntarily putting themselves back under the slavery of the law, his reaction was anguish. Distressed to see a church he loved go astray, Paul tried to win the Galatians back to the truth, warning them against the threat of false teachers and the dangers of false zeal.
This message was given by Jeremy DeSpain, pastor of Bible Baptist Church.
What is the purpose of God’s law? Why does the Old Testament contain so many rules and regulations? The Galatians thought God’s law were a set of requirements to obey so that they could measure up spiritually. But Paul explains that the law was never meant to be our savior: it was to meant to convict us of our need for a savior.
This message was given by Steve Willweber, pastor of King of Glory Lutheran Church.
How can we avoid getting off track in the Christian life? For the Galatians, they needed to be reminded of the gospel: that they’re saved by grace, not works of the law. And so in chapter 3 of Galatians, Paul uses the gospel to retell the story of the Bible, in order to show the Galatians that Jesus alone can save them.
This message was given by Peter Churness, pastor of One Hope Church.
The gospel is that we're saved by Jesus alone, through faith in Him alone. Believing that message changes everything about us, including the way we relate to others. In Galatians 2, Paul reminds Peter of this with respect to his treatment of the Gentiles, calling him back to the radical message that Jesus plus nothing equals everything.
This message was given by Ed Longabaugh, pastor emeritus at Grace Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
How do you know if you're really a Christian? Paul would answer that it's not a matter of the strength of your faith, but the strength of the object of your faith. So in this second chapter of Galatians, Paul shows that the gospel he called people to put their faith in is trustworthy and reliable.
This message was given by Tim Cedarland, Thrive director emeritus.
The gospel is the most precious message in the world: it changed Paul's life and it can change ours. And so in the first part of Galatians, Paul goes to great lengths to show that the gospel he preached was the genuine article, unadulterated by human beings.
This message was preached by Jake Chambers, pastor of Wilderness Church.
Martin Luther said, "We need to hear the gospel everyday, because we forget it everyday." The Galatians were Christians who had lost their grip on the gospel. They had begun to look to their own moral performance for their sense of right standing with God, leading Paul to write them a fierce and scathing letter. In this opening message on the book of Galatians, Dale King, pastor of Calvary Fellowship, speaks to how the Galatians had drifted from the gospel—and why it's so easy for us to do the same.
Young adulthood is often when dreams first start to die. Things you'd hoped and planned for for years—getting married by a certain age, getting a certain career, having a certain opportunity—don't happen, and all of a sudden you find yourself in a wilderness of confusion. What do you when God feels absent and His plans feel bewildering? Speaking from his experience in over two decades of ministry, Eric Byers shows that hidden behind questions like these is an invitation from God to draw close and follow—even in the wilderness.
In his final message, Haggai speaks to a man named Zerubbabel, the leader of the exiles. Surrounded by enemies and discouraged about Israel's future, Zerubbabel bore the weight of worry for his people. How did God speak into his fears then, and how might He speak into ours today?
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Haggai 2:20-23; Ezra 4:4-5; 5:23; Revelation 21:8; Psalm 32:8; 138:8; Romans 8:28; Hebrews 6:19; Song of Solomon 8:6; Jeremiah 22:24, 28-30; Matthew 1:1-17; and Luke 3:23-38.
The people of Haggai's day thought that as soon as they resumed work on the temple, God would bless them. In Haggai's third message, the prophet shows them that God isn't after just the work of their hands. He wants a purified heart.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Haggai 2:10-19; Matthew 7:21-23; 15:8; Proverbs 4:23; 28:13; and John 1:18; 13:23.
No sooner has the temple construction resumed than a spiritual sickness threatens to break out among the people—the sickness of cynicism. How can we overcome the discouragement of cynicism, the defining spirit of our age? In his second message, Haggai provides a cure, rooted in God's promises.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Haggai 1:15; 2:1-9; Ecclesiastes 7:10; Romans 8:28; and Luke 24:13-21.
Sixteen years after the exile, the prophet Haggai began to preach in Jerusalem. His message? “Build the house!” Calling the people to put aside apathy and to put God first in their lives, Haggai instructs God’s people to resume construction on the temple so that the nation might be restored.
Before his death Paul wrote one last letter to Timothy, his beloved protégé, calling him to preach the Word faithfully no matter the cost.
This message was given by Tim Cedarland, Thrive director emeritus.
The Bible instructs us to keep in step with the Spirit. But how do we do that? In this message, Tyson Lash, pastor at Harbor Life Church, teaches on what it looks like to live a Spirit-filled life.
"Spiritual warfare" is the idea that spiritual forces are real and can affect us. What should we know about this unseen realm? And how does Jesus' victory change the way spiritual forces can impact our lives?
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Ephesians 4:27; 6:10-12; Daniel 10; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Timothy 2:26; 1 Corinthians 6:19; James 4:7; 1 Kings 22; Acts 26:18; John 5:24; Colossians 2:15; and Romans 8:38-39.
Paul ends his discussion on spiritual gifts by talking about the gift of tongues—the Spirit-inspired ability to speak a language that you've never studied. What exactly is this gift, why might God have given it to us, and what does it look like to use it in a biblical way?
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Corinthians 12:10, 13, 30; 13:1; 14:1-9, 14, 16, 18-19, 23, 26-28; and Acts 2:4.
"Eagerly desire spiritual gifts," says Paul, "especially the gift of prophecy" (1 Cor 14:1). But why does he single out prophecy as a gift we should desire? According to the Bible, prophecy is based on a revelation from God and, when used properly, can powerfully impact other people.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Corinthians 12:7, 28-29; 14:3, 26-37; 1 Peter 5:6; Matthew 11:13; Hebrews 1:1-2; Acts 2:17; 8:29; 17:11; 21:11, 33; Titus 2:12; 2 Timothy 3:16; Philippians 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12; Revelation 19:10; and Psalm 19:2.
Many have wondered whether the "miraculous gifts" of the New Testament are still around today, or whether they ceased after the apostolic age. This talk looks to Scripture for an answer to that question.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include John 2:11; 14:11; 15:26; 20:30-31; Romans 5:5; Hebrews 2:3-4; Ephesians 2:20; 3:5; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12; 14:3, 24-25; Revelation 22:4; Acts 2:17-21; and Mark 16:17-18.
Sandwiched between two chapters on spiritual gifts is Paul's famous teaching on love. A person may be gifted, talented, and charismatic. But if not done in love, everything we do is worthless. Love is the most important thing.
This message was given by Drew Pappas, youth pastor at Waypoint Church.
Where the Holy Spirit is, there is power—and that makes many people uncomfortable! What fears do you have about the Holy Spirit, and how can those fears be overcome so that we can experience more of the Spirit’s work in our lives?
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Acts 2:1-21; 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:5; 4:20; and John 7:17.
The Holy Spirit is spoken of dozens of times in Scripture and is one of the three persons of the Trinity. Yet many Christians regard the Holy Spirit as mysterious, confusing, or irrelevant. Who, then, is the Holy Spirit and why is the Spirit so pivotal to being a Christian?
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include John 14:16-17; 16:5-15; Romans 8:16, 27; 12:1; 1 Corinthians 12:11, 13; Ephesians 4:30; Acts 4:8; 5:3-4, 9; 8:29; 13:2, 9; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Exodus 31:2-5; Judges 6:34; 11:29; 14:6, 19; 15:14; 1 Samuel 10:10; 16:4; 19:23; 2 Samuel 23:2; Ezekiel 8:3; 11:1, 24; 37:1; 43:5; Micah 3:8; and Colossians 1:27.
Most kingdoms advance through force. Jesus' kingdom advances through transformed hearts. In the parable of the sower, Jesus explains not only how hearts are transformed by why some hearts are transformed more than others.
This message was given by Peter Churness, pastor of One Hope Church and one of Thrive's board members. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23.
At last we come to the end of the story, and it's a very good ending indeed. The final chapters of the Bible look forward to the day when God will dwell among us His people forever and ever. Sin and sorrow will be no more. And with ever-increasing awe and wonder, God's people will know infinite joy in the presence of Him who loved them with an everlasting love.
This message was given by Bubba Jennings, lead pastor of Resurrection Church in Tacoma, WA. Scripture passages cited in this message include Revelation 21:1-8.
The Bible teaches that Jesus will return again in glory as king of heaven and earth. The question for Christians is: are we living in light of that return—and are we telling others about Christ while there's still opportunity?
This message was given by Dustin Langley, pastor at Peninsula Life Church. Scripture passages cited in this message include Matthew 24:36; Acts 1:7; Revelation 19:11-21; 20:11-15; and 2 Peter 3:9.
The golden age is ahead, not behind us: one day Jesus will return and set everything right. But in Matthew 24, Jesus foretells that before His return there will be a period of worldwide distress called "the tribulation." God will use this span of seven years to pave the way for Christ's return and to fulfill His promises to the Jewish people, who the Bible predicts will receive their Messiah at last.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Ezekiel 36:24, 34-35; John 1:11; Romans 11:26, 28; Matthew 23:37-24:35; Daniel 9:24-27; Nehemiah 2:5-6; Luke 19:42; 21:5-36; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Revelation 12:14; 13:1-18; and Zechariah 12:10; 13:1-2.
Hope comes from what you believe about the future. And what lies ahead for Christians is: glory. God promises that one day His people will enjoy not just a gloriously renewed creation but a gloriously perfected relationship with Him—a relationship that takes us into the very heart of who God is.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Romans 5:9; 8:17-25; John 1:1, 14, 17, 18; 5:19, 20; 7:17; 8:50; 12:27-28; 14:10, 31; 17:10, 20-26; 20:28; Titus 3:4-5; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Genesis 1:1; 3:17; Ephesians 1:3; 2 Peter 1:1; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Matthew 28:19; Jeremiah 2:13; 1 John 4:7-8; and Exodus 33:18, 22-23.
Christ doesn't just save us from the penalty of our sin. He changes us so that we live transformed lives. That change happens not through behavior modification or naked moral effort. Instead, God's Spirit changes us from the inside-out, giving us a new nature with new desires.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Galatians 2:11-3:6; John 20:17; Romans 6:3-5, 17; 1 John 1:8; 1 Timothy 1:8-9; and Colossians 2:20-23.
It's amazing enough that God forgives us. But the gospel is even more incredible than that. Through Jesus, God has adopted believers into His family. We can know God as Father, a relationship of utmost intimacy and steadfast security.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Romans 8:12-17; Genesis 5:28-29; 17:5; 35:16-18; Luke 1:59-63; Matthew 3:17; Revelation 2:17; Zephaniah 3:17; and Psalm 143:12.
How does the story of the Bible change your life? In the New Testament letters, Paul gives us one answer to that question: God has shared with us His righteousness. Now instead of seeking our status or worth in what we achieve, the gospel frees us to rest in what Jesus achieved—and the result is life and peace.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Romans 1:23; 2:28-29; 3:21-26; and 2 Corinthians 5:21.
As soon as the first Christian communities formed, they were persecuted. But in one of the Bible’s most stunning surprises, one of the worst persecutors of the early Christians became one! The conversion of Saul, also called Paul, was a pivotal event in biblical history. Changed by an encounter with Jesus, Paul went on to plant churches throughout the Roman empire, write much of the New Testament, and testify in word and deed to God’s amazing grace.
This message was given by Dale King, pastor of Calvary Fellowship Gig Harbor. Scripture passages cited in this message include Acts 8:3; 9:1-19; 26:14; Luke 19:10; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:8; 1 Timothy 1:15; 2 Corinthians 11:23-28; and Philippians 1:29.
When Jesus ascended into Heaven, he promised that he would send his followers the Holy Spirit so that they could live, speak, and witness for him. In so doing, Jesus launched a movement of people (called the "church") who to this day have not stopped sharing the good news of Jesus around the world.
This message was preached by Josh Nuckols, worship coordinator at our sister ministry, Thrive Kitsap.
After Jesus' death and burial, it looked as though God's story had come to a screeching halt. But three days later, Jesus rose—and it changed everything. Jesus' resurrection is an announcement that God wins, sin loses, and death doesn't have the last word.
This message was preached by Jake Chambers, pastor of Wilderness Church.
The most shocking moment in Jesus' life was his death. Who would have thought that after thousands of years of anticipation, the long-awaited Messiah would come—only to die? Yet it was through the cross that Jesus fulfilled the Messiah's ultimate mission: to take our sin, die in our place, and reconcile us to God.
This message was preached by Tim Cedarland, Thrive director emeritus.
As storm clouds of hostility begin to gather around Jesus, Jesus reacts to the rejection of His own people by speaking to them in parables. Through the parables, He discloses hitherto unrevealed truth about what God's Kingdom is like—especially during the age we're living in, while the world rejects God's King.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Matthew 12:24; 13:1-52; Mark 4:11-12; Daniel 2:44; 2 Peter 3:9; and John 3:16.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew reveals Jesus' authority through His teaching. Immediately after, he reveals Jesus' authority through His miracles. A glittering showcase of Jesus' power, mercy, and compassion, the miracles reveal that a Messiah who is more than just a man: Jesus is God in the flesh, sovereign over all creation.
This message was given by Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap, our sister ministry. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Matthew 8:23-27; 9:1-8, 18-26, 35-38; and Psalm 8; 18.
The Messiah is not just a rescuer but a king, one who claims ultimate authority. After Jesus begins His ministry, He asserts His Messianic authority in the most famous sermon of all time: the Sermon on the Mount. This crucial teaching of Jesus reveals that our need for God is far deeper than we could have imagined. But as we read the rest of the story, we discover in Jesus a savior who delights to meet that need—through laying down His life for us.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Luke 2:52; Matthew 3:2-3; 4:17; 5:3, 20, 21-22, 27-28; 31-32, 33-37, 48; Daniel 2:44; and Deuteronomy 18:18.
The back side of a Persian rug is a tangled mess of knots and lumps. But flip it over and all the threads come together in a beautiful masterpiece. The Bible is the same way. Like a rug flipped over, the New Testament ties the earlier threads of the story together in and through Jesus. And one of the best examples is the very first page.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Matthew 1:1; Genesis 12:3; Jeremiah 23:5-6; and Isaiah 7:14.
The Old Testament anticipates the coming of the Messiah, a rescuer who will set everything right. But it ends on a cliffhanger—the Messiah hasn’t arrived yet! What we're left with instead is a kaleidoscope of clues for recognizing the Messiah when He arrives—when and where He’ll be born, what family He'll come from, the things He'll do and accomplish. But the most shocking clue of all is found in Isaiah 53, predicting a path for the Messiah that no one could have imagined.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 3:15; 5:1; 12:3; Malachi 4:5-6; Matthew 1:1; Revelation 22:3; Micah 5:2; and Daniel 9:25-26.
For seventy years Israel lived in exile in Babylon as punishment for their unfaithfulness to God. But after those years were over, God brought the Israelites back to the promised land, where under the leadership of prophets like Haggai and Zechariah, a revival took place.
This message was given by Cedric van Duyn, pastor of Anthem Church.
Matthew Wick, Middle School Director at Peninsula Bible Fellowship, continues through the book of 1 Peter in this fourth of four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat.
Matthew Wick, Middle School Director at Peninsula Bible Fellowship, continues through the book of 1 Peter in this third of four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat.
Matthew Wick, Middle School Director at Peninsula Bible Fellowship, continues through the book of 1 Peter in this second of four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat.
Matthew Wick, Middle School Director at Peninsula Bible Fellowship, opens the book of 1 Peter in this first of four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat.
Note: This recording only captures the ending portion of the message.
God led Israel into the Promised Land, gave them a king, and made them prosperous. But Israel responded with sin and disobedience, placing them on a collision course with judgment. That judgment fell when God allowed the Babylonians to carry His people into exile for seventy years.
This message was given by David Baumgaertel, a Thrive alumnus.
When Israel sinned, God sent prophets to call them to return to Him. But in addition to speaking against Israel's waywardness, the prophets were also entrusted with some of the most magnificent predictions of the Messiah, whose coming would deal with the problem of sin once and for all.
This message was given by Peter Churness, pastor of One Hope Church.
After David died, his son Solomon built the temple, the majestic dwelling place of God's manifest presence. But it wouldn't be long before Israel's sin resulted in God's presence departing and the temple being destroyed. Only with the coming of Jesus would God establish a different kind of temple, where God's presence would dwell with His people forever.
This message was given by Will Weron, a member of the Thrive Harbor community.
Desiring to be like the other nations, Israel rejected God as their king and asked for a human king instead. Under the Saul, the kingship began as a disaster. But then God raised up David, a king after His own heart and a preview of the far greater King who will one day sit on David's throne. Scripture passages cited in this message include 1 Samuel 8:5-7; 15:10-21; and 2 Samuel 7:8-16.
This message was given by Evan Carter, Next Steps Intern at Chapel Hill Church.
Not long after making it into the promised land, Israel goes astray again... and again… and again. Yet throughout the book of Judges, God responds to Israel’s lapses into idolatry not only with discipline but with astonishingly unmerited grace.
This message was given by John Lewis, founder and president of Kingdom Story.
After several centuries of homelessness, God fulfills His promise and brings Israel into the Promised Land. At their head is Joshua, Moses' successor, Israel's leader—and a foreshadowing of Jesus, through whom we have an even greater inheritance.
Yet again the Israelites abandon trust in God, stranding them in a desert for the rest of their lives. The exception is two Israelites named Joshua and Caleb, who because of their faith are the only members of their generation to enter the Promised Land.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Exodus 32; 33:1-2; Numbers 13:31-33; 14:1-4, 30; and John 16:33.
Scarcely after promising to keep God's law, Israel breaks it, creating a relational chasm between the sinful nation and her holy God. How can the chasm be breached? According to the book of Leviticus, only through a sacrifice can God and humanity be reconciled.
This message was given by Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap, our sister ministry.
Note: Due to a technical issue, the recording starts in the middle of the message.
God saved Israel from Egypt—but what did He save them for? According to Exodus 19, the answer is: relationship with Him. At Mount Sinai, God gave Israel the Law to reveal His character, and also the character of the human heart: our bent toward sin, our inability to obey, and our deep, deep need of a Savior.
Scripture passages cited in this message include excerpts from Exodus 19-20; Matthew 6:21; and Romans 6:1.
After Abraham passed off the scene, his descendants, by this time a nation called Israel, fell into the clutches of slavery. But through a man named Moses, God delivers the Israelites from their Egyptian captors, guiding them on a miraculous escape route through the Red Sea.
This message was given by Kurt Mach, pastor of Peninsula Christian Fellowship. Scripture passages cited in this message include excerpts from Exodus 12-14.
Some 2,000 years after Eden, God begins a new chapter in His rescue plan to save the world through calling a man named Abram. His call marks the beginning of one specially chosen ethnic family, in whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 3:15; 4:25; 5:29; 6:9; 7:1; 9:21-22; 11:4; 11:27-12:9; and 1 Timothy 1:4.
Why is the world broken? The Bible's account of the fall of humanity shows that the reason is far more complex than just simple rule-breaking. At the root of all our broken relationships—with others, the world, and ourselves—is the collapse of right relationship with God.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Genesis 2:16-17.
Most stories begin by introducing the plot and chief characters—and the Bible is no exception! Scripture begins by revealing God as the main character, who creates a world of goodness, beauty, and relationship. In giving us a glimpse of life before the Fall, the opening act of the Bible offers a tantalizing picture of God’s original design for humanity and for the world, untouched by the ravages of sin.
The last chapter of Jonah is the heart of the book. Using contrasts, irony, and even humor, this final act of the drama reveals that even after all Jonah has been through, he still hasn't come to grips with the grace of God—a God who continues to woo and pursue him despite his hardness of heart.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Jonah 1:3; 3:4, 10; Matthew 23:37; Luke 19:42; Exodus 34:6-7; and Romans 2:4.
When Jonah obeys God, revival breaks out in Nineveh, offering an ironic case study of the ingredients in spiritual renewal.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Matthew 10:19-20; Acts 26:20; 2 Corinthians 7:10; and 1 Thessalonians 1:9.
What does it take to get unstuck? Swallowed by a fish and surrounded by his failure, Jonah cries out to the Lord in a stirring prayer, shedding light on how God can lift us from the pit of our sin and suffering.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Psalms 3:8; 18:6; 31:22; and 42:7.
When Jonah tried to abandon God, God refused to abandon Him. In the mystery of His mercy, the Lord rescued Jonah and used him despite his disobedience, proving that you can never outrun the grace of God.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 2 Kings 14:25; Jonah 1:1-3, 8; and Matthew 12:39-41.
Trusting God is the bread and butter of following Jesus. One person who understood trust well was Abraham, who once was asked by God to do something that seemed absolutely crazy—and he obeyed! How? According to Genesis 22, it all had to do with the faithfulness of God.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Psalm 66:10-12; John 15:2; 1 Peter 1:7; Genesis 12:1; 22:1-18; and Hebrews 11:17-19.
How do you really follow Jesus? Answer: Not alone. God's design is for the whole body of Christ to work together, so that it can grow and become more like Jesus. Ephesians 4 shows us three ingredients of what that process involves: unity, diversity, and maturity.
The gospel is woven into the Bible from beginning to end. Drawing on key stories from Scripture, Tim Cedarland, Thrive's director emeritus, shows how God's "big picture" is all about the gospel.
How would you break down the gospel for a friend who'd never heard it? Jake Chambers, pastor of Local Church, offers one way to do just that, using nothing more than pen and paper.
The gospel is a reflection of God's character—including His great faithfulness. In this message, Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap, reflects on what God's faithfulness can look like in our lives.
On the night the Israelites fled from Egypt, God saved anyone whose doorposts were marked with the blood of the lamb. Nearly 2,000 years later, Jesus was called the Lamb of God. His sacrifice rescues us from death, just like at Passover thousands of years ago.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Exodus 12:1-7, 12-13; 1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29; 8:33-34; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Isaiah 53:5; and Romans 10:9-13.
What is the Bible all about? One answer is: marriage. The Bible begins and ends with a wedding, and in between you find a tempestuous love story between God, the lover, and his people, the beloved. So to wrap up a series that’s looked at human marriage, we’re taking a look at what you might call “God’s marriage”—the greatest love story ever told.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Revelation 19:6-8; 21:1-4; Ephesians 4:22-24; and Hebrews 13:5.
Seasons of waiting are hard. You want to be married and aren't. You feel behind on life and are stuck. You need direction and are confused. But Psalm 37 points us to the good news that waiting is always an invitation to go deeper with God. Scripture passages cited in this talk include Psalm 37:3-7; Deuteronomy 33:27; and Proverbs 16:3.
Dating can be great... and really confusing. So what does it look like to date well? This second talk on dating looks at the Bible's wisdom on how to do that.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Song of Solomon 1:4-6, 8-10; 2:3-4, 7-16; 3:5, 10-11; 5:9; 1 Corinthians 7:2; Proverbs 5:18-19; Romans 8:1; and Proverbs 30:18-19.
Dating isn't in the Bible, nor is there a "biblical model of dating." But the Bible does offer wisdom about how to date well. This first talk on dating looks at the Bible's wisdom on whom to date: is the guy or girl who's caught your eye someone you should be in a relationship with—or not?
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Song of Solomon 1:1-10; 2:16; Galatians 5:22-23; Matthew 11:29; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Kings 11:3-4; Proverbs 31:30; Romans 8:1; and Genesis 24.
When God made man, He declared that everything was "good"—except the man's loneliness. One of the purposes of marriage is companionship, and a healthy marriage is one in which your spouse isn't just a business partner but a dear, deep, lasting friend. Drawing on Scripture and his own experience of sixteen years of marriage, Jake Chambers, pastor of Local Church, explains what it looks like to have a healthy marriage rooted in friendship.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Matthew 28:16-20 and Genesis 1; 2:18-25.
Kurt Mach, pastor of Peninsula Christian Fellowship, has been married to his wife, Revell, for over 40 years. Listen in as Kurt shares his marriage story, chocked full with biblical wisdom about how to get married, be married, and stay married.
Today far fewer people are getting married in Western countries than just fifty years ago. Some want to be married and aren't, but others have dismissed marriage as an outdated tradition we no longer need. In the face of so much skepticism about marriage, why does the Bible see marriage as such a good thing? This talk seeks to answer that question by going back to the very first marriage in human history, where we see why God invented marriage in the first place.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this talk include Genesis 1:28; 2:18-25; 1 Corinthians 7:2; and Ephesians 5:31-32.
Our culture has a conflicted attitude toward singleness. Traditionally-minded people tend to see being unmarried as bad and even shameful. Progressive-leaning people tend to see it as a badge of freedom and liberation. So which is it? The Bible cuts through both stereotypes. It exalts singleness as a glorious gift that can be even better than marriage. But it also warns against choosing to stay single for the wrong reasons.
Scripture passages cited in this talk include 1 Corinthians 7:1-2, 7, 25-38; Genesis 30:22-23; 1 Samuel 1:10-11; Isaiah 4:1; Hebrews 1:2; 1 Peter 1:20; and Matthew 22:30.
To conclude our series on Jesus' "I am" statements in the Gospel of John, we threw in an extra one from the Gospel of Matthew! Matthew 11:29 says that Jesus is "gentle and lowly in heart," the only explicit statement in the Gospels that tells you what Jesus' heart is really like. What does it look like to know Jesus as the gentle and lowly God? In this message, Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap, meditates on that question.
A Christian's identity isn't achieved; it's received as a gift—which means that following Jesus is about becoming who you already are. In this message, Kingsley Powell, Director of Student Ministries at Chapel Hill Church, walks through how we can get in touch with the new identity we've been given in Christ, based on Colossians 3:1-16.
Sheep are totally helpless without their shepherd. So by calling himself the shepherd and his people the sheep, Jesus reminds us of just how dependent we really are on him. This message was given by Mark Klingler, Discipleship Pastor at Waypoint Church.
Jesus claims to be the door into salvation. But what does that mean, what is the abundant life that Jesus says is on the other side of that door, and how can we know that Jesus' claims are trustworthy?
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include John 10:1-10; 15:13; 3:3; Isaiah 35:5-6; 56:9-12; 53:5-6, 9; Jeremiah 23:1-4; 25:32-38; Ezekiel 34; Zechariah 9:9; 11; Micah 5:2; and Revelation 22:4; 20:4.
Darkness is one of the Bible's favorite metaphors for the shadow side of the human condition. But into that darkness stepped Jesus, who called himself the light of the world. No matter how dark the world gets, He is our one true hope!
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include John 8:12; 3:19-20; Ephesians 6:12; 2 Peter 1:19; and Luke 23:44.
What would it look like for your soul to be satisfied? In the first of Jesus' "I am" statements (our focus in this series) Jesus claims to be the secret to a true and lasting joy, which can exist even in the midst of suffering.
Scripture passages cited in this message include John 6:25-35 and Ecclesiastes 1:7.
What's wrong with the human race? In a confrontation with the Pharisees, Jesus gives a true diagnosis of humanity's condition, a diagnosis we desperately need in order to be truly healed.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Colossians 2:23.
What does it look like to have a vibrant faith that takes God at his word? In this message on Mark 6:45-52, Dustin Langley, lead pastor at Peninsula Life Church, looks at the story of Jesus walking on water to answer that question.
The first time Jesus sent his disciples out on mission, they healed people. But does God still heal today? In this message on Mark 6:1-13, Peter Churness, lead pastor of One Hope Church, gives nine biblical clues about how healing works today.
As our culture becomes more secular, how can Christians speak the truth in an increasingly hostile world? In this message on the death of John the Baptist, Curtis Baker, a young adult from Thrive Kitsap, unpacks what the Bible has to say about this question.
The feeding of the 5,000 is one of Jesus' most well-known miracles. But for the disciples it disrupted their lives and tested their faith. Called by Jesus to surrender their agenda, the disciples demonstrate that following Jesus is an invitation to find satisfaction in Christ as we give our lives over to Him.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Matthew 14:18 and Exodus 4:1-17.
Fear is crippling, and for many it feels impossible to shake. In this message on Mark 4:35-41, Jake Chambers, pastor of Local Church, shares the good news of the gospel: that Jesus is stronger than fear, and that He not only cares for us but is able to care for us.
Why do some people find it easy to believe while others don't? According to Jesus the answer can't be lack of evidence. Instead he points to a difference between belief and unbelief that goes deeper than that.
Scripture passages cited in this message include John 16:7-8.
As Jesus' ministry grew, he shrank it down to focus on just twelve disciples. In Mark 3:7-19, Mark shows us that Jesus understood discipleship as being rooted in relationship with him, and that in order to be sent out to serve Jesus, a disciple must first learn how to be with Jesus.
Scripture passages cited in this message include John 15:5-10.
Jesus taught that the gospel would burst out of the old institutions of Judaism. How, then, should followers of Jesus relate to the Law and the Sabbath? In one of his many confrontations with the Pharisees, Jesus teaches on this question.
Tax collectors were traitors. They were hated and reviled. So when Jesus called a tax collector to be one of his disciples, he was making a powerful statement of what his kingdom was all about. This message was given by Mekan Piriyev, a recent high school graduate who is part of the Thrive community.
When Jesus heals a paralyzed man, some react with joy and others with hate. In this message on Mark 2:1-12, Dustin Polley, co-director of Thrive Kitsap, unpacks four different responses people had to Jesus and invites us to consider what our own response to Him will be.
Jesus came bearing a unique authority—to call disciples, cast out demons, and heal the sick. But amazingly, Jesus used his authority not to serve himself but to serve others.
(We apologize for the poor audio quality of this recording.)
Mark's gospel begins with an announcement about Jesus' arrival. But how should we to respond to that arrival? This message, the first in Thrive's series on the Gospel of Mark, takes up that question, while also providing an overview of Mark's entire book.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Peter 5:13; Acts 12:12; 13:5, 13; 15:37-39; 2 Timothy 4:11; and Mark 10:45.
As Thrive moves into a new year, Hebrews 11 offers an inspiring picture of what can happen when Jesus is the foundation of our lives.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Psalm 127:1; 34:8; 1 Peter 1:21; John 6:28-29; Ephesians 2:8-9; and Hebrews 12:2.
According to one study, over 60% of American college students have experienced overwhelming anxiety. What does Jesus have to offer those dealing with anxiety, fear, and depression? In this final message in Thrive's series on Philippians, Michael Bouterse, Thrive's local director, looks at the Bible's answer to this question in Philippians 4:4-7.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Kings 19:1-8 and John 10:1-13.
How do we know whether we're "enough"—enough for God, for others, for ourselves? In this message, Caleb Janson, pastor of Gig Harbor United Reformed Church, unpacks how Paul answers this question in Philippians 3:1-11. The human heart is hard-wired to look to our good deeds in order to feel like we're worthy of love—and that's exhausting. But Paul discovered that we're worthy of love not because of what we do, but because of what Jesus has done for us. This frees us up from worrying whether we're good people, because Jesus has made us good already. As a result, we no longer have to relate to God as a stingy taskmaster whom it's impossible to please. God becomes our joy, and the purpose of life to know Him more.
What's the secret to happiness? The answer, surprisingly, is self-sacrificial obedience. Although extremely countercultural, self-sacrifice is at the heart of following Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. And as a result of Jesus' life-transforming death and resurrection, He sets us free to live a self-sacrificial life for the sake of others.
This message was given at Thrive Harbor on Thursday, November 12, 2020 by Cedric van Duyn, pastor and church planter of Anthem Church.
(We apologize for the poor audio quality in the second half of this recording.)
Why is there war? Why are there divisions? Why can’t human beings just find a way to get along? According to the Bible, the answer is pride. Our pride makes us harm those around us so that we can be first. But Philippians 2 shows us that pride has a cure—because while everyone else was climbing up the ladder to make themselves first, Someone climbed down the ladder to make Himself last.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Romans 12:9 and John 3:14; 12:32.
Our culture tries to deny death, distracting ourselves so we don’t have to face the fact that one day… we’re all going to die. That’s why Paul’s words in Philippians are so remarkable. He celebrates dying! How could he say this? In this message on Philippians 1:20-26, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, looks at what the Bible says about Heaven, Hell, and why Christians can approach death with joy and not fear.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 2 Timothy 1:10; 1 Corinthians 15:20-24, 50; Revelation 6:9; 21:1-4, 22-27; 22:1-2; Genesis 4:17-24; 11:1-9; 13:10; 2 Corinthians 5:6, 8; Matthew 25:41, 46; and Mark 9:43-48.
Everyone suffers, but not everyone suffers well. So what’s the secret? The Bible would say you have to find meaning in suffering, a purpose higher than just your happiness. Many world religions claim to offer such a purpose, but Christianity is utterly unique in offering not just a purpose worth suffering for… but a person who suffered for you.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Romans 15:23-24; Matthew 10:37-39; 2 Timothy 1:8; 3:12; Genesis 50:20; and Psalm 126:5-6.
Mark Twain said, "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." Yet most of us struggle to find a purpose worth living for. In the letter to the Philippians, Paul sets out the one passion that fueled and energized him—the advance of the gospel. But why was Paul so gripped by the gospel, and what gave him the power to lay down his life for it?
Scripture passages cited in this message include Philippians 1:1-26 and Luke 9:23-24.
The last five psalms are psalms of praise, and that's no accident. That's because in Christ we're promised that even the most painful experiences will eventually give way to praise. This message on the Bible's final psalm unpacks what praise is, the different forms praise can take, and the ultimate motive that Christians have for worshipping God.
Fear is like paralysis: it makes us stuck and unable to move forward. In this message, Drew Dawson, a church planter with Resurrection Church, shares on Psalm 27, a reflection on how David’s faith helped him combat his fear.
There are plenty of religious figures out there. What makes Jesus unique? One of the best answers to this question is found in an obscure chapter from the Old Testament. Psalm 110 gives us the "ID card" of the Messiah, predicting Jesus' two natures (fully God and fully man), two comings (to bear judgment and to bring judgment), and two offices (king and priest). Latching on to these truths about Jesus renovates both head and heart, radically altering how we relate to God.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Psalm 22:1; 2:1-12; Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-44; 12:20; 22:31-32; Revelation 4:8; and Genesis 14:18-20.
When we try to control everything, we get stressed out. Faith, by contrast, is life without scheming, and the result is rest. In this message on Psalm 131, Jake Chambers, pastor of Local Church, shows that the more control we release, the more peace we receive, as we remember that God is God and we are not.
God pursues us, but he also invites us to pursue him. In this message, Peter Churness, pastor of One Hope Church, unfolds David's prayer in Psalm 63. Just as David thirsted for his first love in the desert, so God invites us to thirst for him when we feel spiritually dry.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Psalm 42; 2 Samuel 15ff.; Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:13; and Ephesians 5:18.
Why do we experience guilt and shame? Why is it so creeping, pervasive, and deep? And where can we find release? In Psalm 32, King David—whose moral failures included murder, adultery, and sabotage—announces his discovery of a way to be rid of guilt and shame, and the joy and peace that he experienced as a result. This message was preached on Thursday, July 16, 2020 by Kurt Mach, pastor of Peninsula Christian Fellowship.
Everybody has experiences in life where things that you looked to for identity and security crumble before your eyes. Yet Psalm 46 makes the radical claim that there is a source of protection and inner strength that will never let you down—even if "the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."
Scripture passages cited in this message include Romans 8:28.
David's strategy for seeking God's protection is a strange one: he breaks out into a worship session! Psalm 16 is the record of what David spoke to his heart when faced with fear and anxiety. Not only do his words teach us how to find strength in God, but they also provide an incredible glimpse of the gospel, showing us that the true source of strength isn't in the power of our worship but in the person of Jesus Christ.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Acts 2:22-32.
Anxiety and depression are skyrocketing, especially among younger Americans. But through God, depression doesn't have to have the last word. Psalm 42 is a psalm written by a depressed person. But instead of bowing to his depression, the psalmist reminds his soul in the darkness of the truths he learned in the light. Refusing either to ignore his pain or to treat it as ultimate reality, the psalmist instead takes his pain to God, trusting that even in the dark valley of depression God will meet him in grace and love.
Susan Bouterse joins Thrive to share some profound thoughts on prayer, the journey of knowing God, and the way God can use suffering to shape us.
As Thrive journeys through the Psalms, be sure to check out the Thrive "Psalmcast," a special series of regular podcast episodes that help you pray the psalms. Just search for "Thrive Harbor" wherever you get your podcasts!
The God of the Bible is a God who loves justice. How should this shape the way Christians live? In this message, Michael Bouterse, Thrive's local director, offers some thoughts from Scripture on how Christians can listen, lament, and respond to racial injustices in our world.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Galatians 2:11-16; Romans 12:15; Jeremiah 22:3, 15; Nehemiah 5:1-13; Isaiah 5:1-6:5; Proverbs 31:8-9; James 2:15-16; Acts 6:1-7; Micah 6:8; and Ephesians 2:14-16.
John Dorsey, former youth pastor at Fox Island Alliance Church, joins Thrive to talk about prayer. John shares his story about how God became real to him through prayer, the difference between prayer as duty versus delight, and his favorite ways to spend time with God.
As Thrive journeys through the Psalms, be sure to check out the Thrive "Psalmcast," a special series of regular podcast episodes that help you pray the psalms. Just search for "Thrive Harbor" wherever you get your podcasts!
How can our hearts become ready and receptive to meet with God in prayer? In Psalm 139, David shows that one way to do this is to meditate on whom it is we’re praying to. Reflecting on God’s attributes prepares our hearts for prayer, captivating us with God’s wonder and majesty, and also driving us to a healthy measure of self-examination.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Psalm 139 and Proverbs 20:27.
As Thrive journeys through the Psalms, be sure to check out the Thrive "Psalmcast," a special series of regular podcast episodes that help you pray the psalms. Just search for "Thrive Harbor" wherever you get your podcasts!
Thrive is journeying through the psalms! Follow along by tuning into the Psalmcast, where we'll be offering regular reflections on different psalms, as a springboard to using them for prayer.
If we encounter God through prayer, that must also mean that He encounters us—in all our brokenness, unbelief, and messy emotions. Is it okay to bring our "difficult" emotions before God? Does he really give us permission to be raw and vulnerable before him? According to Psalm 39, the answer is yes. Through Jesus Christ, prayer is a kind of divine invitation to come before God just as we are, knowing that he alone can untangle the mess of our lives.
As Thrive journeys through the Psalms, be sure to check out the Thrive "Psalmcast," a special series of regular podcast episodes that help you pray the psalms. Just search for "Thrive Harbor" wherever you get your podcasts!
Thrive is journeying through the psalms! Follow along by tuning into the Psalmcast, where we'll be offering regular reflections on different psalms, as a springboard to using them for prayer.
Thrive is journeying through the psalms! Follow along by tuning into the Psalmcast, where we'll be offering regular reflections on different psalms, as a springboard to using them for prayer.
Thrive is journeying through the psalms! Follow along by tuning into the Psalmcast, where we'll be offering regular reflections on different psalms, as a springboard to using them for prayer.
Thrive is journeying through the psalms! Follow along by tuning into the Psalmcast, where we'll be offering regular reflections on different psalms, as a springboard to using them for prayer.
How can prayer shift from being a routine space to a relational space, a space where God becomes real to your heart? In this opening message for Thrive’s series on praying the Psalms, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, teaches through Psalm 73. Psalm 73 revolves around an encounter that Asaph had with God that changed his life forever. This is what prayer is meant to be: not just a churchy ritual, but an encounter of awe and intimacy with God.
As Thrive journeys through the Psalms, be sure to check out the Thrive “Psalmcast,” a special series of daily podcast episodes that help you pray the psalms. Just search for “Thrive Harbor” wherever you get your podcasts!
The coronavirus has exposed the fragility and uncertainty of our world. Can we have hope for the future? In this message on 2 Peter 3, David Baumgaertel, one of Thrive’s alums, walks through what Scripture says about Christ’s glorious return, answering along the way key questions about the end times, such as: Why does it seem like Jesus is taking so long to come back? What is “the Day of the Lord”? And why should we study Bible prophecy?
For more biblical insights from David, check out his blog, www.testing521.com, or follow him on Twitter @testing521.
We live in a world of fake news—and of fake gospels! In this message on 2 Peter 2, Ed Longabaugh, pastor of Grace Evangelical Presbyterian Church, expounds Peter’s dire warning about false teachers and how to spot them. Along the way, Ed also points out how secularism—the dominant worldview in our culture today—is eerily similar to the very false teachings Peter writes about.
How can you be certain that something is true? In this message on 2 Peter 1:12-21, Matt Edwards, pastor at Believers Fellowship, explains how Peter makes the case that one day Jesus will return. As one who beheld Jesus in His glorified state on the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter invokes his own eyewitness testimony, as well as the testimony of the prophetic Scriptures that predict the Messiah’s return.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5; Matthew 17:1-13; and 1 Corinthians 15:1-8.
Being a Christian is like going up the down escalator—without forward motion, you’ll go backwards! In this message on 2 Peter 1:1-11, Mac Davis, one of Thrive’s own, teaches on what it looks like to have a faith that grows and is active rather than passive. A growing faith is a God-centered faith: we advance in the Christian life when our focus is on knowing God better! And when faith grows, so too does the fruitfulness that comes out of our lives.
The Bible is full of assurances that God is a shelter to all who belong to him. But at the same time, following God is risky. God is a God of adventure, sometimes calling us to places of danger we’d rather not go. In this message on Luke 8:22-25, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, teaches on a story where the disciples learned this firsthand. Invited by Jesus to venture out onto the stormy Sea of Galilee, the disciples faced genuine danger following Jesus, while at the same time, experiencing deep safety in the shadow of his sovereignty as Jesus calms the storm and brings peace.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Mark 4:35-36, 38-39; Genesis 1; and Psalm 46:10.
The last few years have witnessed a host of Christian leaders who have lost their positions due to scandal and abuse of power. The result is a tremendous hunger in our world today for leaders of character and integrity. In this message on 1 Peter 5:1-11, Tim Stobbe, lead pastor of Waypoint Church, unfolds Peter’s exhortation to those in leadership, which calls authority figures to be mindful of how they lead, why they lead, and who is leading them.
According to 1 Peter, Christianity is often the path not of least resistance but of most resistance. In this message on 1 Peter 4:12-19, Dustin Langley, lead pastor of Peninsula Life Church, teaches on the cost of discipleship, emphasizing that following Jesus is a choice we make on a daily basis, even if to do so opens us up to pain and suffering.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Deuteronomy 30:19-20; Matthew 26:14-16; 27:1-5; and Luke 14:27.
If you knew that the world were ending tomorrow, would you change how you live today? In this message on 1 Peter 4:1-11, David Shohradov, one of Thrive’s own, gives four attitudes that Christians are called to have in light of the imminent return of Jesus. Along the way, David also sounds the Bible’s call to make a total, radical break with sin.
From slandering your opponent, to lashing with words, to shouting down the other side, toxic dialogue has become a fixture of our not-so-civil discourse. Is there a better way? In this message on 1 Peter 3:8-16, D’Vante Rolle of One Hope Church unfolds Peter’s instructions to respond with love to those who resist you, in order that our words and actions might be aimed at reconciliation, not retaliation.
As marriage rates decline and gender roles shift, does the Christian vision of marriage have anything to offer? In this talk on 1 Peter 3:1-7, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, unfolds 1 Peter’s instructions to husbands and wives, addressing along the way its many cultural “landmines,” such as: What does the Bible mean by submission? What is “a gentle and quiet spirit”? And why are wives called “the weaker vessel”?
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include 1 Peter 2:12-18; 3:8; Ephesians 5:22-24; Proverbs 31; Acts 5:29; and Genesis 2-3; 18:12.
As the post-Christian West grows increasingly antagonistic toward the claims of Jesus, how can Christianity win a hearing? In this talk on 1 Peter 2:11-25, Tim Cedarland, Thrive’s director emeritus, unpacks 1 Peter’s instructions for how Christians can be a powerful witness in a hostile environment.
The opposite of loneliness is belonging—to feel totally safe and at home. In this message on 1 Peter 1:22-2:10, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, explains how the gospel speaks to this basic human need, enabling us to belong to God and to His family, the church.
We’ve all met hypocrites—people who speak one way and act another. And religious hypocrisy can be worst of all. God’s solution to rescue Christians from hypocrisy is to make them holy: to change them from the inside out so that their lives and behavior resemble Jesus. In this message on 1 Peter 1:13-21, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, describes what holiness looks like and how God makes people holy.
Scripture passages cited in this message include John 20:31; 2:11; 4:53-54; Mark 8:34-36; Matthew 20:26-28; 24:45-51; 1 Peter 2:11-12, 19; 3:1; 5:10, 12; Philippians 1:6; 3:7-14; Hebrews 11:10; Genesis 23:4, 6; 13:12; 14:12; 19:1, 9; 2 Peter 1:3; and 2 Corinthians 5:10.
According to our culture, the good life consists of comfort, success, and personal fulfillment. But the Bible casts a different vision of the good life as one of cross-bearing, suffering, and discipleship. How can this be? In this opening message in Thrive's series on 1 & 2 Peter, Michael Bouterse, Thrive's local director, offers three reasons from 1 Peter 1:1-12 that God invites us to reinterpret suffering as a grace disguised.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Acts 2:9-11; Luke 22:31-32; John 17:3; and 2 Corinthians 1:3-6.
Radical faith produces radical Jesus followers. But where does faith come from? Andy Abramson, founder and national director of elementum, explains that faith comes from falling in love with God in this message based on Hebrews 11.
Jake Chambers, pastor and church planter of Local Church, walks through Psalm 101, an invitation for believers to be deliberate and intentional in pursuing Christ, despite the siren calls of our culture.
God has a plan, and he’s let us in on it! In this message, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, turns to Matthew 13:1-52, where Jesus gives his disciples a “big reveal” about the future of his kingdom. On the one hand, Jesus teaches the disciples that the kingdom has arrived. But it’s arrived in a much different form than they’d expected! During this present age, the world is living in rejection of Jesus, the king. For now, therefore, the kingdom exists in a provisional, spiritual form, till one day the king returns and reigns on earth, bringing the kingdom to its consummation.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Matthew 9:3, 11; 12:24; Mark 4:11-12; Daniel 2:44; Revelation 21:4; John 3:16; and Ezekiel 36:26.
“Scary,” “weird,” “confusing”—these are common first impressions of the Book of Revelation. In this message, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, gives an overview of this last book of the Bible, which reveals how history will come to a close. And the best part? Jesus gets the final word!
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Revelation 1:1-3, 9, 17-19; 4:1, 11; 5:9; 7:9; 11:2; 12:1-4; 13:5; 20:11-15; 21:1-4; 22:7, 10, 18, 19; Genesis 37:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2; 2 Peter 3:10-12; 1 John 3:2-3; Jeremiah 32:1-15; and Matthew 24:8.
Jesus is coming again—and soon! Yet today the Second Coming is often given little attention. Offering an overview of what Christians ought to know about Jesus' return, guest speaker Michael White zeroes in on what Matthew 24 says about the Second Coming, incorporating other material regarding God's plan for the ages from throughout the Scriptures.
D'Vante Rolle of One Hope Church walks through Psalm 51 in a powerful message on the importance of repentance in the life of a Christian.
Jake Chambers, pastor and church planter of Local Church, gives four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat on the theme of “learning to be with Jesus together.” In this final talk, Jake walks through how the Gospel of Mark describes the Kingdom of God. God's Kingdom is a kingdom of life, love, hope, and healing, and as we learn to be with Jesus together, God causes that Kingdom to overflow to a lost and broken world.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Mark 1:14-15, 21-42; 2:1-12; 1:17; and Revelation 11:15.
Jake Chambers, pastor and church planter of Local Church, gives four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat on the theme of “learning to be with Jesus together.” In this third talk, Jake looks at Acts 2:42-47 to address how being with Jesus is something that we do corporately. Our culture promotes a philosophy of "mine" and "more." But the early church lived a simple, shared life that put Jesus at the center of its life together. What would it look like if the church today lived this way?
Scripture passages cited in this message include Acts 2:42-47; 2:28.
Jake Chambers, pastor and church planter of Local Church, gives four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat on the theme of “learning to be with Jesus together.” In this second talk, Jake zeroes in on what it looks like to be with Jesus. Our culture encourages us to be in a hurry. But Jesus was relaxed. Jesus was present to God and to those around Him, and He calls us to be likewise through abiding in Him. As we do this, we are transformed by God's presence and become a transforming presence to others.
Scripture passages cited in this message include John 15:5; Exodus 33:12-16; and Acts 4:13.
Jake Chambers, pastor and church planter of Local Church, gives four talks at Thrive’s Fall Retreat on the theme of “learning to be with Jesus together.” Who is the God who invites us to be with Him? In this first talk, Jake unpacks four amazing statements about who God is, and what that means for who we are. God is great, so we don’t have to be in control. God is glorious, so we don’t have to be afraid of others. God is good, so we don’t have to look elsewhere for satisfaction. And God is gracious, so we don’t have to prove ourselves.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Genesis 1:1; Romans 8:26-30; Proverbs 29:25; Psalm 8:1; 16:11; Jeremiah 2:13; and John 4:13-14; 1:16; 19:30.
Tim Cedarland, Thrive’s director emeritus, wraps up Thrive’s series on Romans by reviewing the book in its entirety and preaching on chapter 16. In this final chapter Paul shows how personal and pastoral he is, remembering to greet a host of people from a church he had never even visited—besides offering a number of other closing remarks.
Chris Rogers, assistant pastor of Discovery Baptist Church, unfolds Paul's explanation of his mission to preach the gospel to the Gentiles in Romans 15:14-33. From our modern-day vantage point, it is easy to overlook how controversial it was for the early church to welcome Gentiles into the people of God. In this passage Paul boldly and winsomely reaffirms that God has accepted the Gentiles through the gospel. In fact, Paul's very mission is to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles, so that those who once were outsiders might become insiders.
David Shohradov, one of Thrive’s own, presents Paul’s teaching in Romans 14:1-15:13 about not causing another believer to stumble. Believers have different weaknesses, areas where they may be more vulnerable to temptation. Our response ought to be to lay down our rights in order to be a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block to those around us.
Alan Jones, pastor of Firebrand Church, takes up what Romans 13 says about how Christians should engage in politics and relate to human authorities. Because God Himself has modeled what submission to authority looks like, Christians, too, should respect the offices of human authority that God has established, even though it can require great care and nuance to do this in a God-honoring way when human authority has gone corrupt.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Romans 13; Isaiah 9:6; Romans 12:19; Matthew 22:17-22; Micah 6:8; Psalm 82:1; Revelation 12:10; and Ephesians 6:12.
Tyson Lash, pastor of Harbor Life Church, takes up Romans 12, the part of Paul's letter that asks, "In light of what God has done, how should we live?" Paul's answer is that a transformed life arises from a deep, heart-level grasp of God's grace and goodness. Only then can we rightly walk through life doing what Jesus did, loving as He loved, and glorifying God with all of our lives.
Mac Davis, one of Thrive's own, wraps up Paul's explanation of the gospel in Romans 1-11 by unfolding his great doxology in Romans 11:33-36. This great hymn of praise exalts God's worthiness of worship and shows that worship is our only reasonable response to all that God has done in Christ.
Periodically in Thrive's Romans series, we're pausing to take up a "hot potato in Romans"—a topic that is culturally "hot" and hard to handle. In this talk, Michael Bouterse, Thrive Harbor's local director, addresses what Romans 11 says about Israel—a nation and people group never too far from political and theological controversy.
The story of Israel as told in the Old Testament revolves around God's promise, expressed and developed through multiple covenants, to one day bring salvation through a Messiah descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In Romans 11, Paul reveals that even though God has temporarily cast Israel aside due to their rejection of Jesus as Messiah, their being cast aside is neither total nor permanent. One day God will again take up His dealings with the Jewish people. He will regather them to their ancestral homeland, visit salvation upon a Jewish remnant, and, as a result, bring renewal to the entire world. These events belong to Israel's future, not because human beings are righteous, but because God is faithful; and for that reason, the future of Israel is one of the greatest exhibits in Scripture of God's lavish, unmerited grace.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 3:14-15; 5:29; 12:2-3, 7; Deuteronomy 28:15, 20-21; 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26; Isaiah 2:2-4; Matthew 1:1; Romans 11:1-32; Isaiah 11:11-12; Ezekiel 36:8-12; Zechariah 10:6-10; 14:4; 12:10; 13:1; and Genesis 45:1-7.
Periodically in Thrive's Romans series, we're pausing to take up a "hot potato in Romans"—a topic that is culturally "hot" and hard to handle. In this talk, Michael Bouterse, Thrive Harbor's local director, takes on the topic of predestination based on Romans 9. Far more than just a doctrine to be grasped cognitively, predestination is both personal and practical, providing believers with a joy, assurance, and freedom, in that their salvation rests not on anything they are or have but on God's sovereign choice.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Romans 8:38-39; 3:10-11; 10:8-21; John 10:28-29; 3:16; Hebrews 13:5, 8; Isaiah 53:6; Ephesians 2:4-5; Genesis 50:20; Proverbs 16:1, 9; and Exodus 1:22.
David Baumgaertel, one of Thrive’s alums, launches Thrive into the next part of Romans by giving an overview of Romans 9-11, a critical section of Scripture that helps unlock a big picture of the entire Bible. In these chapters Paul demonstrates that God is perfectly righteous in how He has dealt with Jews and Gentiles, and that in different ways each group is the object of God’s mercy. Along with vindicating God’s righteousness, Paul also explains that there is a future for ethnic Israel, when one day the nation will recognize Jesus as Messiah.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Romans 9-11; Genesis 12:3; and Malachi 1:2-3.
Michael Bouterse, Thrive Harbor's local director, closes out the last section of the climactic eighth chapter of Romans. In Romans 8:28-39 Paul reveals God's purpose for humanity: not conformity to a set of moral principles but to a person, Jesus Christ; His aim is for the very life of God to be woven into the warp and woof of our personalities. To this purpose God adds a promise of assurance that He will bring this reality to pass: that because of God's sovereignty and His sacrifice on the cross, nothing can separate us from His love.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Romans 8:28-39; 8:18-22; 1 John 3:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Timothy 3:5; Jeremiah 2:13; 1 John 4:8, 16; Luke 22:31-32; 1 Peter 1:3-7; and John 17:20-26.
Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap (our sister ministry in Kitsap County), continues Thrive's ascent up the "Mount Everest" of Scripture, the glorious eighth chapter of Romans. In Romans 8:18-27 Paul announces that Christians await a glorious future, when at Christ's return God's people will be glorified, resulting not just in their renewal but in the renewal of all creation. Meanwhile, Christians, aided by the Holy Spirit, live in the tension of still experiencing suffering in this life, even as we long for the life to come.
David Shohradov, one of Thrive's own, continues Thrive's exploration of the "Mount Everest" of the Bible, Romans 8. In Romans 8:12-17 Paul takes up themes at the heart of the Christian life—the relationship between the flesh and the Spirit, our adoption as God's children, and the redemptive value of suffering.
Jake Chambers, pastor and church planter of Local Church, kicks off the first of several weeks focused on the "Mount Everest" of Scripture—the magnificent eighth chapter of Romans. Romans 8 is one of the firmest statements in Scripture that in Christ we are free of condemnation, even though condemnation is exactly what we deserve! Yet because of what Jesus has done, God has liberated us from living under sin and set us free to live holy and abundant lives by the power of the Holy Spirit.
A Q&A panel with local pastors and their spouses wraps up Thrive's two-week miniseries on pornography and sexual addiction.
Periodically in Thrive's Romans series, we're pausing to take up a "hot potato in Romans"—a topic that is culturally "hot" and hard to handle. In this talk, Josh Mann, pastor at Fox Island Alliance Church, shares part of his powerful testimony to conclude a two-week miniseries on “Jesus, Sex, and Secrets” confronting pornography and sexual addiction.
Periodically in Thrive's Romans series, we're pausing to take up a "hot potato in Romans"—a topic that is culturally "hot" and hard to handle. In this talk, Michael Bouterse, Thrive Harbor's local director, opens a two-week miniseries on “Jesus, Sex, and Secrets” that confronts pornography and sexual addiction, springing out of Romans 6 and 7. This first talk deals with the devastation of porn, the wrong way to heal, and the right way to heal.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Romans 7:15, 19, 21, 24; Ephesians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 2 Corinthians 12:7; Luke 15:17-24, 30; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; and Genesis 41:51.
How does God change us? How do believers grow amid the ongoing, ever-present battle with sin? Whereas Romans 6 gives Paul’s explanation of the right way to fight sin and seek change, Romans 7 gives the wrong way. It shows us that despite human beings’ inherent tendency to improve ourselves through our own effort, sin can’t be defeated through simply trying harder. Sanctification is God’s work, accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Romans 7:14-25; 1 John 1:8; Romans 6:17; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 1:8-9; Colossians 2:20-23; Romans 6:2, 11-13; and Galatians 2:20.
If Christians are saved by faith, what keeps us walking in obedience to God’s commands? In this message on Romans 7:1-13, Tim Cedarland, Thrive’s regional director, expounds Paul’s teaching about faith and the law. Through what Jesus has done, Christians are no longer under the law, which never could stop us from sinning anyway. Just as a mirror can tell you that your face is dirty but can’t actually clean your face, so the law reveals that we’re sinners but can’t ever make us righteous.
David Shohradov, one of Thrive's own, preaches on Romans 6, one of the Bible's great chapters about how the gospel changes us. Why should Christians no longer sin? Is it because of fear of punishment or to impress God? According to Romans 6, the answer is that dead men don't sin! When Jesus died, our sinful self died, meaning that we no longer have to do what sin tempts us to do. The result is freedom from the sin that seeks to bind us.
D'Vante Rolle of One Hope Church continues Thrive's series on Romans by looking at Romans 5:1-11. Justification by faith is the taproot of joy, hope, peace, and all the blessings of the Christian life. It also gives believers the power to persevere through life's darkest trials.
How do faith and works go together? In this message on Romans 4, Tim Cedarland, Thrive’s regional director, zooms in on two Old Testament figures who discovered justification by faith long before Paul did. Abraham is famous for his many moments of obedience, but behind that obedience was his trust in God. Faith was the root, and good works were the fruit! Then there’s David, a man rich in sin and lawbreaking. But through his faith in God’s promises, David was able to speak of a forgiveness apart from works.
Mercy forgives the guilty, while justice refuses to let the guilty off the hook. How can these two important principles coexist? In this message on Romans 3:21-31, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, explains how according to Paul there is exactly one place where these seeming opposites collide: the cross of Christ. On the cross, God upheld judgment by punishing sin, while also demonstrating His merciful love for us through Jesus dying in our place.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include John 5:19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-23; Psalm 143:11; 1 Kings 21; and Romans 5:8.
Why is it so easy to feel dogged by a sense of shame and inadequacy? Is there a way to shut off the inner monologue that says, “You’ll never be enough”? In this message on Romans 3:21-26, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, expounds Paul’s teaching on justification by faith, the cornerstone of Christian theology. Human beings are self-justifying creatures, always searching for new ways to shed our sense of guilt and feel morally superior to others. But the doctrine of justification says that the erasure of our guilt comes only through what Jesus did on the cross. The result is forgiveness and the breathtaking gift of God’s righteousness.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Isaiah 64:6; Psalm 103:10-12; 109:22; Matthew 3:17; 5:20; 17:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; and Ephesians 6:14.
In this message on Romans 3:1-20, Michael Bouterse, Thrive’s local director, unpacks the conclusion of Paul’s argument that all humanity is guilty and in need of salvation. Already he has argued that religious people need the gospel (chapter 2) just as much as non-religious people (chapter 1). Now, to conclude his argument, Paul considers some challenges someone might make to his case, before driving that case home with a withering litany of truth about humanity's desperate state apart from Christ.
There are people who sit in church every Sunday, who serve the homeless, clothe the naked, and care for the sick—but who are on their way to hell. In this message on Romans 2:17-29, Michael Bouterse, Thrive's local director, unpacks the Bible's astonishing teaching that even the most scrupulous religious observance is insufficient to save us. Whereas religion often leads to self-righteousness and judgmentalism, the gospel humbles us by revealing the hypocrisy of the human heart—and the way our hearts can be healed.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Matthew 7:21-23: Romans 1:18-3:20; James 3:1; Hebrews 13:17; and Luke 15:11:32.
Why are human beings so good at destroying relationships with those we love? According to the Bible, the answer is that the human heart is hard-wired to justify itself. In this message on Romans 2:1-16, Michael Bouterse, Thrive's local director, unpacks Paul's profound teaching on human hypocrisy, its deadly results, and the cure we desperately need.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Romans 1:21, 25, 29; 1 Corinthians 2:15; Matthew 7:2; and Luke 18:11-12.
Periodically in Thrive's Romans series, we're pausing to take up a "hot potato in Romans"—a topic that is culturally "hot" and hard to handle. In this talk, Michael Bouterse, Thrive's local director, takes up Paul's controversial words about homosexuality in Romans 1:26-27. According to this passage, is God homophobic? Is Christianity bad news for those who experience same-sex attraction? The answer to both questions is no. Seen within the broader storyline of the Bible, Christianity's teaching on sex, though countercultural, ultimately points to an even greater source of satisfaction that is available to us in Christ.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Romans 1:24-28; Matthew 11:28; 19:4-6; Genesis 1-2; 2:18, 24; 19; Ephesians 5:31-32; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 7; Hebrews 4:15; James 3:2; John 9:2-3; Mark 8:34-35.
Michael Bouterse, Thrive Harbor’s local director, continues Thrive's series on Romans by looking at the second half of Romans 1. Like a prosecuting attorney, Paul in 1:18-3:20 constructs an air-tight case that all humanity is guilty and in need of a savior. In this section, Paul first tells us why humanity is guilty, and secondly he shows us how God responds to our sin—by giving us over to the very sin we crave.
Tim Cedarland, Thrive's regional director, opens a several-month journey through the "cathedral of the Christian faith," the book of Romans. Besides teaching on the first half of chapter one, Tim takes us on a whirlwind, high-flying overview of the entire book, in order to show how all the different pieces of Paul's letter fit together into one big picture.
Dennis Fuqua, director of International Renewal Ministries and special speaker for Thrive's 2018 Christmas Formal, looks at the classic Christmas word "Immanuel" (meaning "God with us") in order to show that the Christmas story is actually far more than what that word implies. It's amazing enough that in being born as a human, Jesus is God with us. But because of His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus is also "God in us." The life we live isn't our own; it's Jesus, living within us by His Spirit—meaning that we no longer have to do things in our own strength, no longer have to submit to sin's power, and no longer have to live separated from the love of God.
Often it's assumed there's a tension between a community that is inwardly focused—concerned with the needs of insiders—and outwardly focused—concerned with the needs of outsiders. But Christian community is both at the same time. When Christians love, serve, and build each other up, the result is a community that showcases the love of God to a lost and hurting world, or in other words, a community that is inherently evangelistic.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:6-8; Isaiah 2:2-4; Ephesians 2:6-7, 10; 3:10; Matthew 5:14-16; John 13:35; and 1 Peter 2:12.
Christian community helps answer the profound longing of the human heart to be deeply loved and deeply known at the same time. It's a space where it's possible to really tell the truth about your deepest struggles and yet still be loved and welcomed—a community not just of truth but trust. What does that kind of community look like? It looks like a band of believers who pray for each other, confess their sins to each other, and restore each other.
Scripture passages cited in this message include James 5:13-20 and Matthew 18:15-17.
Salvation by grace is the crucial foundation of Christianity, distinguishing it from all other world religions. But how does grace affect community? The famous parable of the prodigal sons shows that sin and self-righteousness inevitably destroy community but that the grace of God creates community—a community marked by love, diversity, and humility.
Scripture passages cited in this message include Luke 15:11-32, Romans 15:7, Romans 14:13, Ephesians 4:2, Ephesians 4:32, Isaiah 53:6, and Joel 3:13.
What gave such vibrancy to the early Christians? It wasn't fancier worship or slicker preaching. All that the early church did was a fresh, organic explosion of awe at Jesus and what He had done—creating a new kind of community that the world had never seen. Passages cited in this message include Acts 2:42-47.