The Ridge – Weekly Message: Recent Episodes
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The Ridge weekly message podcast is a production of The Ridge church in Ankeny, Iowa. At The Ridge, we invite people to grow, connect and serve. Subscribe to this podcast for weekly Bible-based messages that teach how to live that out. And if you’re looking to go deeper, check out our Beyond the Sermon (BTS) episodes. These supplements to our weekly message will feature a Q&A with the pastor that provides additional context, insight and application steps based on the week’s message.
In Galatians chapter 3, Paul is frustrated with the church to the point he accuses them of being 'foolish' and 'bewitched.' Though harsh, Paul was addressing a dangerous trend in the church: They received salvation through grace, just as they should, but now they were following God in their own strength.
Join BTS Host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore how to "speak the truth in love."
New Ridge U Class "Living with Purpose" - click here for more info!
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Paul is frustrated. His concern: A dangerous trend in the church. The Galatians had received salvation through grace but still wanted to live life in their own strength. They were missing something big: The Holy Spirit — His purpose and His power.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Galatians 3:1–6
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Do you understand the gospel? Do you really? Because there’s more to it than simply accepting Jesus’ sacrifice as payment for our sin. It also has to do with Christ being in us, transforming us, seeing us as redeemed and righteous and restored. To understand the gospel fully is to know where and with whom our identity lies.Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Galatians 2:15–29
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This past Sunday we were back in the book of Galatians where Paul reminds us that relationship with God is a matter of faith in what Jesus has done for us rather than trusting our own efforts.
One major theme in these passages is identity. This leads to questions, such as how do we form a basis of our identity? How is our identity rooted in God?
Join BTS Host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore the life-changing impact of an identity rooted in God.
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Up until Acts 9 Saul had been murderously pursuing followers of Jesus, driving them from their homes and throwing them in prison. Today, it's estimated that around 317 million Christians experience high to extreme levels of persecution. And while neither of these may not be our experience here locally, we can still encounter various kinds of opposition to our faith.
What does persecution look like for us in the Des Moines area, and how might we go about responding to it? Join BTS guest host Joni Pine and Ridge Director of Discipleship Will Herron as they discuss this and more on this week's Beyond the Sermon episode.
For more info on the persecuted church worldwide and how you can help click here.
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The early church was under severe threat with Paul leading the way in murderous pursuit. Then the unexpected happened — that Road to Damascus moment of conversion. God uses Paul, redeems his story and his life, enabling him to make an eternal impact.
Message by Will Herron
Scripture referenced: Acts 9:1–19
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In Galatians 2:11-16 we get a window into a conflict between the apostles Peter and Paul. Peter is clearly caving into social pressure, Paul calls him out on it, which raises the questions: How might we be compromising our faith convictions in an effort to gain social acceptance? And how can we avoid this same pitfall that overcame Peter?
Join BTS Host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss this and more on this week's Beyond the Sermon episode.
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Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians who were falling back into old habits and giving in to the world surrounding them. Turns out, though, that they weren’t the only ones. Just as Paul was writing to confront those in Galatia, here in chapter two, he was also confronting Peter.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Galatians 2:11–16
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Criticism is hard to avoid. At some point, we're all on the receiving end of it. How, then, should we go about responding to sincere or perhaps even mean-spirited critique as followers of Jesus?
Join BTS Host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss how we can turn our "critics into coaches."
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In refuting false teachers (Judaizers) and their precepts, Paul brings his teachings to James, Peter and John. He’s seeking their council, yet also accepting responsibility over controversy. Their response: They recognize Paul’s teaching as truth. But there’s one more thing. Peter, James and John ask the apostle to do one more thing in his ministry.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Galatians 2:1–10
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This past week we were in Galatians 1:15-24. Here we get an insight into Saul’s whereabouts the few years after his miraculous conversion. God leads Saul/Paul into a three-year season of deepening — a time of becoming before a season of doing.
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore what deepening seasons can look like in our lives today.
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Back in Galatians this Sunday, we’ll hear more of Paul’s testimony, specifically the Road to Damascus story — his miraculous conversion. So, what happened next? He went right into ministry, in to leadership in the early church, right? Well, not quite.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Galatians 1:15–24
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In the book of Galatians Paul speaks of a gospel of grace, not of works. Yet in James we read that faith without works is dead. So are Paul and James presenting two contrasting truths, or is there something deeper going on?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Strategic Planning and Communication Director Dayne Logan as they discuss ways to approach apparent contradictions in the Bible.
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In Galatians, Paul tells us that a person is saved through faith by grace alone. We cannot earn salvation, and we are not justified by following the law (no matter how closely) or completing good works (no matter how many). Yet in the book of James, James writes, “Faith by itself if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Huh? If we’re not saved through works, what is James getting at?
Message by Dayne Logan
Scripture referenced: James 2
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As we continue our study in Galatians, we get a look into Paul's past, and it wasn't pretty! While "your past doesn't define you" might be a popular saying, it can be challenging to know how to handle a history of deep failure in our own lives and the lives of others.
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss how our experience of God's grace in our own failures can transform how we respond to failure in others.
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So far we know that the Galatians have strayed from the message of the gospel — they've accepted false teaching. As they ponder which teacher to listen to, Paul’s background wasn’t doing him or his message any favors. His past was dark. As we move further into the first chapter of Galatians, we’ll see just what God does with brokenness.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Galatians 1:11–14
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This week we are back in the book of Galatians where we find Paul fired up about some happenings in the church. The Bible teaches that healthy anger is possible, but what exactly does that look like? How can we go about avoiding destructive expressions of anger?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore these questions and more on this week’s episode.
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Galatians 1. Paul is angry. And rightly so. He is confronting the Galatians who have strayed from the message of the gospel and have come to accept false teaching. The Galatians have replaced the truth they know — that which Paul himself preached to them — with something else.Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Galatians 1:3–10
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Walk Sunday — the Sunday we celebrate and recognize youth who have made a commitment to and established a personal relationship with God. Select youth share stories and testimonies of their spiritual journeys.Junkyard Director, Todd Stiles and K-12 Ministry Assistant, Paige Schwickerath with Emma Reaman, Kayla Fox, Sara Brown, Ellie Vaudt.
Walk Sunday — the Sunday we celebrate and recognize youth who have made a commitment to and established a personal relationship with God. Select youth share stories and testimonies of their spiritual journeys.Junkyard Director, Todd Stiles and K-12 Ministry Assistant, Paige Schwickerath with Alyssa Krogman, Isaiah Pine, Meghan Wolf.
The Bible as a whole is honest about brokenness in the human heart but also clear about God's stunning grace toward us. But how do we go about keeping a healthy balance between awareness of our sin and living in the reality of God's forgiveness and grace?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they begin a new sermon series in the book of Galatians exploring the treasure and wonder of God's grace.
Click here for more info on our upcoming "After the Pod" event.
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When God freely gives us what we need, even though we don’t deserve it and can never repay it, that's grace. That's the message of Paul's letter to the Galatians. So, why were so many so angry over what he was teaching?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Galatians 1:1–2
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As we remembered and celebrated Jesus' death and resurrection this past weekend, Pastor Mike honed in on one question that Jesus asked His disciples: Who do you say I am?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore the life-altering implications of how we respond to that question.
Click here for more info on the upcoming Ridge U class, Experiencing Jesus.
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There is no question about Jesus’ influence, His wisdom or His popularity. But what about His divinity? This Easter, we explore this claim and ask, who do you say Jesus is?Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Matthew 16:13–15
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In John 14:15, Jesus states, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." In other words, one of God's love languages is obedience.
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore how living life God's way is the only way to find the abundance God has for us.
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What does it mean to love Jesus? Is it enough to simply say the words? Is He looking for an emotional response? Is it a deep-seated feeling? Those are all nice. But Jesus is looking for something altogether different.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: John 14:15–31
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It's a term we hear often yet might not fully understand. After all, what does it look like to be a disciple of Jesus when he isn't physically present with us today like he was with his early followers?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss what it looks like to love and follow God in the present day.
Click here to find our podcast page to share with friends and family.
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Have you ever wondered what Jesus was looking for in His disciples when establishing the Twelve? Take Peter. What did Jesus see in Him specifically? And how does that apply to us yet today?Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: John 21:15–25
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Now that we’ve finished out our sermon series on the book of Malachi, we shift the narrative from comfort to discomfort. From numbness to pain. Suffering is always a hard topic. But in and through it, we see God move.
Encounter Sunday: Natalie’s Story
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Have you ever thought about what Heaven will be like?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore what Scripture says about Heaven and highlight the biggest takeaways from the book of Malachi.
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The last chapter of the last book of the Old Testament. It opens with a warning and continues with assurance and a promise — Jesus and Heaven. It would be a great ending, if the text stopped here. But it doesn’t. There’s one more verse — a curse.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Malachi 4:1–6
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This week we hone in on Malachi 3:6-18 which contains one of the most famous passages in the Bible on financial giving.
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss how healthy motives for giving and how God can use our giving to shape us into the likeness of Jesus.
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Do not be anxious. These words of Jesus seem almost impossible to imagine in 21st century life. How could we even begin to live lives with less worry and anxiety? Is it even possible?
Join Joni Pine, Director of Hospitality and Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, as they discuss several ways how God can go about freeing us from a life of anxiety.
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Do not be anxious. These words of Jesus seem impossible — seemingly unattainable. Especially in 21st century life. If we look closer at HIs words, though, we’ll see that He doesn’t leave us to figure it out on our own. Jesus tells us exactly how we can live lives with less worry and anxiety.
Message by Will Herron
Scripture referenced: Matthew 6:24–34
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God's justice is not a characteristic we tend to spend a lot of time thinking about. It's likely we spend more time reflecting on His love, kindness, or His creative power. So, why is it so important for us to not lose sight of God as a God of justice? How can it change how we see our past, present and future?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore God's justice and more on this week's Beyond the Sermon episode.
Additional Resources: Mike references the following podcast episode – Live Better: Spiritual Practices to Live By Ep 3 - Prayer
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Malachi 3: The Israelites were experiencing a gap between what they expected from God and what they were experiencing through God. It’s pivotal that we know God — His nature, character and attributes, His love and kindness, His righteousness and His justice. It is important for us to know all of Him.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Malachi 2:17–3:5
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As we continue in the book of Malachi, our focus turns to marriage and faithfulness to God. Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore three "Cs" to a healthy marriage, and discuss why the Bible's teaching on marriage still holds true.
Additional Resources: for more info on getting connected into a community group at The Ridge click here.
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Behind Malachi's words in verses 10–16, we see that God is all about covenant. We’ll take a closer look at the concept of covenant — what it is and what it means. Hint: It's not a contract. It's a partnership — a sacrificial commitment to the good of the other. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Sounds like God's design for marriage.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Malachi 2:10–16
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Do you enjoy confrontation? If so, you are in the vast minority! Most people will do anything to steer clear of challenging conversations. So how do we go about preparing ourselves for confrontational dialogue? And how become more open to receiving critique from others?
John Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS host, Will Herron, as they discover how confrontation, though challenging, can end up being an unexpected gift to both parties.
Additional Resources: for more info on getting connected into a community group at The Ridge click here.
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Some passages in the Bible that inspire. Some passages guide us. And some that we’d just rather avoid completely. Rather than just skipping over these verses, if we dig in, we can figure out what God means. And what this one is really about is confrontation.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Malachi 2:1–9
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This week we took a break from our series in Malachi and spent time in the book of Ruth. One of the primary questions the story provokes in us is this: How do we go about making wise decisions in our lives? And when we make poor choices, how can we use those failures as a means to grow rather than regress in our faith?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Leadership and Ministry Director Julie Wiemann as they discuss how we can know God's guidance in the present while experiencing freedom from our past failures.
Book referenced in this episode: "Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts" by Jennie Allen
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The folks at The BibleProject describe the book of Ruth this way: a beautifully crafted look at how God’s purpose interplays with human decision. See how this worked in the lives of Elimelech and Naomi, their sons, as well as their daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. And learn, too, what this means for us and our lives today.
Message by Julie Wiemann
Scripture referenced: Ruth 1:1–19
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As we continue in The Book of Malachi, we learn that the Israelites were giving God their leftover animals as sacrifices. While we're not in the business of offering up animal sacrifices today, we can still be guilty of giving God our second best.
Are you giving God your leftovers?
Join Will Herron, Ridge Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss how we can cultivate a heart of love for God that motivates us to give God our best.
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The first few verses of Malachi 1 tells us this: God loves us. A few verses later, though the question is turned: Do we love God? If we read on, Malachi reveals that love isn’t just a word or a feeling. It’s something you can see. If you love somebody, it shows.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Malachi 1:6–14
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Within the first few words of the book of Malachi, God is reminding the Israelites of His love for them. God loves us in the same way yet sometimes it's easy to forget. Sometimes miss the various ways He expresses that love in our lives.
Join Will Herron, Ridge Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss ways in which we can remain aware of God's presence and provision in our lives in the coming year.
Resources: The New Bible Commentary, How Not to Read the Bible – (Navigating difficult passages in the Bible)
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Malachi 1 tells us this: God loves us. Loved, that’s where we begin with God. We’re told that. We’ve heard that. And we know it, yet it is such an easy thing to forget. So, how do we remind ourselves of something so important? How do we live in the light of God’s love?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Malachi 1:1–5
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If you've spent any amount of time in a church you've probably heard it said, "God loves you". For something so familiar to so many, it is puzzling as to why many still struggle to truly believe it. Why is this so? How can we truly know and experience God's love in our lives?
Join Will Herron, Ridge Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Ministry and Leadership Director, Julie Wiemann, as they kick off the new year exploring these questions and more.
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Though there are innumerable things the Bible teaches us, we’ll narrow the focus to three things to remember as we walk with God in 2024.
Message by Will Herron
Scripture referenced:
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The Christmas star. Shepherds left their flocks and fields to find Jesus. The Magi went to look for him. But how did they know who Jesus was and where to find him? And how do we?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 2, Matthew 2
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It's not uncommon to see a manger scene this time of year. Whether it's a decorative set on a mantel or a Christmas card sent by a friend, we are used to seeing various depictions of the scene of Jesus' birth. But, if we are not careful, over familiarity can lead to our losing our sense of wonder and gratefulness over God's gift in Jesus. So how can we maintain a sense of awe and gratefulness of God's great gift? And how can God's movement toward us change how we engage with others?
Join Will Herron, Ridge Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Family Ministries Director Doug Applegate as they explore these questions and more in our last Beyond the Sermon of the year.
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The Nativity. It’s one of the most recognizable and most popular scenes of Christian art that recounts the birth of Jesus and His adoration. You know the elements: the baby Jesus in a manger, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, angels, cattle, sheep, a donkey, and often wise men. But is this fully accurate? And how does knowing this story and our familiarity with it impact our lives today?
Message by Doug Applegate
Scripture referenced: Luke 2:4-7, 16, 20
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The Christmas season can evoke a mixture of memories and emotions. For some, it truly is "the most wonderful time of the year" but for others, loss, loneliness and relational dysfunction are magnified amidst the festivities.
Join Will Herron, Ridge Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore how the message of Christmas can speak lasting hope into our lives whatever our experience within the season.
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Christmas is full of beauty and grace. It brings peace and comfort, reassurance of God’s profound love for us. That’s the story we tell. And it’s true. But there’s something — someone — we often overlook. Herod. When he realized he had been tricked by the wise men who came seeking the newborn king, in fury, Herod killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under. That first Christmas was filled with pain, suffering and hurt. And there has been weeping each Christmas since.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Matthew 2
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In our final episode in the Habbakuk series, we turn our attention to joy. In contrast to happiness, joy is not something dictated by circumstance but a permanent underlying presence in our life. But how and where can we find such joy?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore how Habbakuk found joy in the midst of serious challenge and hardship.
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Have you ever asked God for something or been in a situation you knew God had the capacity to do something, but He didn’t? That’s where Habakkuk is here in the last verses of chapter 3. So what does he do? What do we do in those situations? Hint: We find joy.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 3:12–19
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For many of us, forgetfulness is an unwelcome attribute we live with. Whether we are naturally prone to it or we just get distracted with the business of life, it's easy for us forget who God is and what He has done. So how can we become a people of remembrance rather than forgetfulness? And how does remembering help us navigate the difficult seasons in our lives?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss why remembering what God has done is so important and explore some practical ways to incorporate this practice into our lives.
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Life was hard enough for Habakkuk, and then he got even more bad news. What do we do when life is like that? It’s so easy to get consumed by problems, responsibilities, pain, suffering. Challenges distract us and cause us to forget when what we should be doing is remembering.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 3:1–11
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You don't have to look far in the Bible to see people worshipping idols. Whether it's statues of wood, figures carved into stone, or a golden calf, ancient people displayed a tendency to elevate such things to a god-like status. Not many people in our region are doing this today, so why is the topic of idols still relevant? What does idolatry look like in the modern day, and how do we go about identifying and freeing ourselves from idolatry in our own lives?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss these questions and more on this week's post sermon discussion.
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We left off in chapter two of Habakkuk after looking at the Biblical definitions of discipline and wrath. We pick up in verse five, which gives some insight into why God was about to release His wrath on the Israelites, handing them over to the Babylonians. Hint: It has something to do with idol worship. But if we aren’t creating golden calves or primitive statues today, is this really relevant to us today?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 2:5–19
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It is both encouraging and mind blowing to think that the God of the universe is working in our lives today. And yet what does that work look like exactly? How can we grow to acknowledge and respond to it?
Join Ridge Marketing and Communication Director, Dayne Logan, and BTS host Will Herron, as they reflect on God's loving work in our lives and explore how we can learn to embrace it even when it's challenging.
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The God of the universe, the creator of the cosmos, is at work in our lives. But what does that look like exactly? We’ll look at some of the major events in the life of Moses in the early chapters of Exodus. Because turns out, God works in similar ways today as He did back then.
Message by Will Herron
Scripture referenced: Exodus 2, 3
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One of the dangers we can fall into in reading the Bible is reading it selectively. We dwell on the passages we are comfortable with and ignore those that raise questions and challenge us. In particular, passages that deal with God's wrath and judgement take a back seat to famous verses like John 3:16. So how do we go steer away from selective reading of the Bible and engage with every part as the inspired word of God?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Mike Van Rees as they discuss this and more on this weeks post sermon discussion.
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Habakkuk chapter two. Full disclosure: It's a challenging chapter. Here at The Ridge, we are committed to teaching through the Bible in its entirety. Because if we don't know the hard parts, we don't know the whole story. Habakkuk chapter two centers on two words: discipline and wrath. We'll examine the Biblical definitions of these words, what they mean and how all of this applies to us today.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 2:5–15
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Recent technological advances have done much to speed up the world. Just a few clicks on our phone and we can order our groceries, binge our favorite TV shows, and DoorDash our favorite meals. But have you ever thought to consider what effect this hyper efficiency may be having on our ability to be patient? Particularly when it comes to waiting on God?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Mike Van Rees as they discuss how we can learn to navigate seasons of waiting on God.
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Here’s what we know so far: In Habakkuk chapter one, things are happening in the world that Habakkuk doesn’t understand. He is witness to extreme suffering, in justice and spiritual apathy. He cries out in frustration and desperation. God answers but not in the way Habakkuk wants or expects. Yet God has a plan.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 1:12–2:4
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Featured stories and testimonies of God’s goodness, His provision and the life transformation that has taken place over the past 25 years told by those who have lived it out. There is much to commemorate and celebrate. Happy Anniversary, Ridge.
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The subject of God's sovereignty can give rise to lots of questions. If God is all powerful, why do we see so much suffering in the world? If God is truly sovereign, why doesn't he intervene to rescue us from hardships more often?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Mike Van Rees as they explore how we can approach these kinds of questions while also experiencing peace and hope in the knowledge of God's sovereignty.
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The truth of God’s sovereignty can cause us to ask: If God is all powerful, why do we see so much suffering in the world? Why doesn’t He intervene? Why? In his questioning, Habakkuk leads us to the answer.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 1:5–11
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When we hear of idols or idolatry, visions of primitive people gathered around a statue can come to mind. It's easy to assume that when the Bible speaks of idols, it's something of the past. Thousands of years later, however, the subject of idols proves to be as relevant as ever.
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Marketing and Communication Manager Dayne Logan as they discuss identifying idols in our lives as well as why giving God control is the way to true life.
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What does Israel’s struggle with idols and idolatry have to do with us today? We don’t carve idols out of wood or cast them out of metal. Maybe not. But the subject of idols still proves to be as relevant as ever.
Message by Dayne Logan
Scripture referenced: Isaiah 44:13–20
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In the first chapter of Habakkuk, the prophet is crying out to God in the midst of doubt and confusion. As believers, how can we use doubt and confusion as a positive in our relationship with God?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss the ways in which doubt and lament play essential roles in a healthy relationship with God.
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Habakkuk is struggling to reconcile a good God with the pervasiveness of the pain, evil and suffering around Him. In Chapter 1 of Habakkuk, we see him cry out to God. So, what does God do with Habakkuk's questions and doubt and confusion? What can we, as followers of Jesus, learn from His response?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 1:1–4
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This Sunday we began a new sermon series titled "Nevertheless" on the Book of Habakkuk. The new series will take us through a conversation between an ordinary man, Habakkuk, and God Himself.
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they start off our series by exploring ways to recognize God's presence in our day-to-day lives.
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Don’t miss this simple truth found in the Bible over and over: God talks to ordinary people. It’s the big idea of the book of Habakkuk, and it’s the center of our new sermon series, Nevertheless. This Sunday and in the coming weeks, we’ll see what it means to have a personal relationship with God.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 1:1
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How do we find happiness and joy in life? Depending on who you ask, you may receive a different answer. For some it's money, for others it's their career or their achievements in life. But what does the Bible teach us about living life to the full? What is the "good life" according to Jesus?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they close out our series on the gospel of Luke by reflecting on the rich life God invites us into.
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The Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes. More than morals and rules, the sermon reveals what the “good life” looks like. But His depiction isn’t terribly attractive: Blessed are those who are poor, who hunger, who weep. Blessed are those who are hated, excluded and insulted. Seems like Jesus has it all wrong. Does He?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 6
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On this special edition of Beyond the Sermon we hear from international speaker, Carol Herron. For the last 50 years + Carol has been ministering/teaching both at home in N Ireland and around the world. The following message is taken from a Women’s Gathering night at The Ridge on Sept 11th, 2023.
This week we jumped back into the Gospel of Luke where Jesus and His disciples encounter a man possessed by several demons. Jesus miraculously casts the demons out of the man, then encourages him to go and tell others about what happened to him.
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore how we can go about sharing our experiences of Jesus with those in our places of work, study and play.
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We find the first Biblical example of a missionary in Luke chapter 8. And he’s likely not who you think. His qualification: knowing what Jesus had done for him. Like this man, we all have a story. And Jesus expects us to tell it.
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This week, we break from our study on Luke and jump to the Book of Deuteronomy. We are reminded as followers of Jesus that we are not only to listen to God's word and direction but also to live it out.
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Family Ministry Leader Doug Applegate as they discuss how practically applying what we hear from God cannot only change us but also influence those around us.
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In Deuteronomy we’re told that God’s commandments are to be on our hearts. We’re to talk about them and think about them throughout the day from when we get up to when we lie down. But what does it mean for us to truly live out God’s Word?
Message by Doug Applegate
Scripture referenced: Deuteronomy 6:6–9
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Through the Gospel of Luke, miraculous stories are told with stunning depictions of Jesus' power and His compassion. It's easy to simply read of these stories but fail to truly get to know the One behind the miracles. So how do we move from just knowing about God to walking with Him daily?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss ways in which we can move from just learning about God to talking with, hearing from, and following after Him.
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Sometimes people say they aren’t experiencing God or they aren’t growing spiritually or that He seems so hard to find. That’s not what the Bible says. Scripture tells us that He is available. In fact, we’re promised that if we seek, He will be found by us.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 8:40–56
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As we continue through our series in the Gospel of Luke, we hone in on one of the most eccentric characters of the Bible, John the Baptist. John preached a message of repentance yet even within this confident proclamation, he had questions and doubts.
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss how doubt can play a constructive role in the building of faith in God.
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Following Jesus is the best, most fulfilling life. But it isn’t the easiest life. There are things that God allows to happen that we may never understand—things that can cause us to question our faith. John the Baptist was a man firm in his faith, certain Jesus was the Messiah. Yet even he wrestled with doubt. And it wasn’t a bad thing.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 7:18–35
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Luke 6 contains one of the most challenging commands of Jesus in the whole of the gospels; "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you...". But how can we possibly go about doing this? What does loving our enemies even look like?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship and Ridge Leadership and Ministry Director, Julie Wiemann, as they discuss what following Jesus' command looks like practically in our day to day lives.
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In Luke 6, we find one of the most challenging commands given by Jesus: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you. But what does that really mean? How does it apply to us today and what does it look like?
Message by Julie Wiemann
Scripture referenced: Luke 6:27–31
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In Luke 8, Jesus calms a storm while on board a boat with His disciples. The story reminds us of God's immense power. Yet how often are we stepping out in faith and trusting in that power? Where is Jesus asking you to step out in faith today?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship and Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss ways in which we can grow to trust in God and step out in big and small ways with Him.
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Fear can be a good thing. It can keep you out of trouble and away from danger. But fear can also be in conflict with our faith. It can cause us to miss out on discovering just how good God is and how worthy He is of our trust.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 8:22–25
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Pain is often a topic we prefer not to address, yet it is a common experience for us all. Thankfully, the Bible has much to say around the subject of suffering and what our relationship with God looks like in those hard seasons.
Join Joni Pine and Will Herron as they discuss what lament is and how it plays a key role in our navigating seasons of pain well.
Resources: God on Mute (Pete Greig), A Grief Observed (CS Lewis), Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy (Mark Vroegop)
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Two disciples are walking along the road to Emmaus in Luke chapter 24. As they talk through the grief and disappointment over Jesus’s execution and death, a third man enters into the conversation. He walks alongside them and offers comfort, yet challenges them in their lament. Turns out this man is Jesus, and His interaction with these men reveals much about Him.
Message by Will Herron
Scripture referenced: Luke 24:13–35
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In Luke 7, a remarkable miracle happens when Jesus raises a young man from the dead. This can prompt us to ask - should we be asking God for dramatic things in our lives? And, if so, how do we navigate the waiting for those prayers to be answered?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss finding joy in the now and peace in the waiting.
Additional links
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God has done some marvelous things. But what was His finest moment? Raising the boy from the dead in Luke 7? Making the sun stand still? Parting the Red Sea? It might be something very different than one of these obvious choices.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Go Beyond the Sermon: https://ridgelife.org/beyond-the-sermon
Scripture referenced: Luke 7:11–17
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In Luke 7, Jesus encounters a centurion who had the greatest faith Jesus had seen in all of Israel. But what does Biblical faith look like? What are some misconceptions on faith that we should be aware of?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discover what true faith looks like and how we can grow to trust in God Himself rather than the outcomes we desire.
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When we don’t see, feel, understand or perceive something and yet still believe it, that’s faith. When we have conviction that God can and hope that He will, that’s faith. Right? … Isn’t that faith? Well, yes. But there’s more to it than that.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 7:1–10
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In Luke 5:33-39 Jesus is questioned about fasting. We see this biblical practice other places in scripture, too. So, how does it apply to our lives today? When and why should we use this spiritual discipline?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss what fasting means for us and how we can experience more of the Holy Spirit in our day-to-day lives.
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Fasting. It was a normal part of life in the days of the New Testament. This spiritual discipline connects God’s people to Him in a way others do not. Fasting helps us seek after Him and hear the fresh leadings of the Holy Spirit. And it remains just as important to us as followers of Jesus today.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 5:33–39
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At first glance verses in Luke 9 and 11 seem to contradict one another. This can certainly be confusing. But if viewed in the right way, within context, our faith can be encouraged as we dig deeper to fully understand what God is teaching us in these sections of scripture.
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Marketing and Communication Manager Dayne Logan as they discuss ways to approach challenging aspects of the Bible, as well as exploring what exactly Jesus was teaching us in these passages.
Resources mentioned in the podcast: The Thinking Believer, The Bible Project, NT Wright Bible Commentaries, John Stott Bible Commentaries, The New Bible Commentary.
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Two passages in Luke 9 and 11 seem to be contradictory. Confusing, yes. But if we take a closer look and examine these verses within the context they are written, confusion gives way to encouragement as we begin to fully understand what God is teaching.
Message by Dayne Logan
Scripture referenced: Luke 9 and 11
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In Luke 14:25-32 Jesus says that if anyone is to follow Him they must "hate" their family. What is Jesus trying to teach us here? Why does God ask for our all and not just a part of our life?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Director of Family Ministries Doug Applegate as they discuss reasons why full surrender to God's desires for our life is always better.
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In Luke 14, Jesus states that if anyone is to follow Him they must “hate” their family. In saying this, what is He really asking of us? What is He trying to teach us? Hint: It has something to do with full surrender.
Message by Doug Applegate
Scripture referenced: Luke 14:25–32
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In Luke 5:27-32 Jesus meets Levi, a tax collector. Levi puts together a gathering at his house for Jesus and invites all his tax collector friends. Jesus didn't approve of their immoral financial practices but their behavior wasn’t a reason for him to shun them like the Pharisees.
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss ways in which we can follow Jesus' example of remaining in community with those whom we disagree with, sharing God's life and light in the process.
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Jesus could have had His choice of anyone. He could have picked a scholar, an influencer, someone living a moral life. But He didn’t. He chose Levi, the tax collector. Instead of shunning Levi for his corrupt behavior and immoral financial practices, Jesus said, “Come. Follow me.”
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 5:27–32
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In Luke chapter 5 we unpack the story of a paralytic man being healed and forgiven after his friends went through great lengths to ensure he was brought before Jesus. So how can we serve our friends and families in the same way? What are we willing to do to bring them to Jesus?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees, as they discuss ways in which we can be stepping stones to faith for our friends and family members.
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The friends of the paralytic man went to great lengths to bring him before Jesus. And through their efforts, he was more than healed, he was forgiven. What are we willing to do to bring others to Jesus? How can we serve our friends and families in a similar way?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 5:17–26
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In Luke chapter 10, Jesus sends 72 of His followers to heal the sick and to tell others that the kingdom of God was near. As Jesus followers today, how do we go about spreading the gospel and integrating our faith into every sphere of our lives?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ministry Director Julie Wiemann as they discuss ways on sharing our faith in today's culture.
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In Luke chapter 10, Jesus sends 72 of His followers out into the world. He instructs them to heal the sick and to declare that the kingdom of God was near. So, as followers of Jesus today, how are we using our influence? Are we spreading the gospel? Are we integrating faith into all aspects of our lives?
Message by Julie Wiemann
Scripture referenced: Luke 10
Video referenced: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg3qN2s5fUQ
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As we continue our sermon series in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus encounters a man with leprosy and heals him. Fully and immediately. Moments like this in Jesus' ministry inspire faith, but they can also raise questions: Why don't we see this response from Him each time we ask? Does it have something to do with us—don't we have enough faith—or is God not as willing to heal today as He was then?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss this challenging question and more in this week's Beyond the Sermon episode.
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In Luke chapter 5, Jesus encounters a man with leprosy and heals him. Fully and immediately. Moments like this in Jesus’ ministry inspire faith, for sure, but they can also raise some hard questions: Why don’t we see this response from Jesus every time we ask? Does it have something to do with us—don’t we have enough faith—or is God not as willing to heal today as He was then? Maybe it’s something else entirely.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 5:12–16
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In Luke chapter 5 Simon (Peter) had been fishing all night with no luck. Jesus comes along and asks him and his men to drop their fishing net one more time and to their delight, they catch a net full of fish. Jesus' direction didn't make sense, but Simon listens, obeys, and casts his net. How can we grow to have a faith like that? How do we say 'yes' to God even when we don't understand and when we doubt the direction we are given?
Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees, as they explore several ways of how we can grow to trust God in the same way Simon did.
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Logic says cut your losses and go home. Experience says pack up and rest. Faith says go and do it because God says so. Because He says so? How do we listen, obey, and follow even when we don’t understand and when we doubt the direction we are given?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 5:1–11
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The Prodigal Son, one of the most well-known parables in the Bible, follows the story of a father and his two sons. As the tale unfolds we see the two sons pursue very different directions in life while remaining equally distant from their father. So, what is Jesus teaching us through this story? And why has it become so popular?
Join Joni Pine, Director of Hospitality, and Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, as they discuss some of the crucial spiritual life lessons found within the story of The Prodigal Son.
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The parable of the Prodigal Son is well-known. You likely know this story that follows two sons who pursue very different directions in life, yet remain equally distant from their father. What is it that Jesus is teaching us through this story? And, of all of the parables Jesus told, why has this one gained such popularity?
Message by Will Herron
Scripture referenced: Luke 15
Video referenced: The Bible Project: The Prodigal Son
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In the gospel of Luke we encounter the ultimate battle of good versus evil: Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness. But how do we know when we are encountering the enemy in our own lives? How can go about identifying and responding to the tactics of Satan?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they highlight some of the tell-tale signs of the enemy at work in our lives.
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In Luke chapter 4, God exposes a few myths that we might be caught up in. Here’s one: Satan isn’t real. The Bible teaches us not only that he is but that he is the great tempter. So, how do we handle temptation? We do it just like Jesus did when he faced Satan in the desert.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 4
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One of the key themes in Luke 3:28-38 is baptism. While all Christians agree that baptism is important, it can look different depending on the denomination of the church. So what is the history of baptism, what does it mean and when/how should we do it?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they dive into the symbolism and meaning behind baptism.
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Luke 3 is the introduction of baptism to the Christian faith. So, what is baptism? Why is it done? What does it mean? We’ll address all these questions and take a closer look at the baptism of Jesus—what His experience reveals to us about God.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 3:21–38
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As we begin to journey through the book of Luke, we are introduced to one of the central (yet most eccentric) characters in the gospels — John the Baptist. But how do his teachings, specifically on repentance, connect with us today in the 21st century? And how do we really go about living like Jesus in the way that he challenges his listeners?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore what true repentance looks like and what it means to be empowered and transformed by the Holy Spirit.
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People packed their bags, left their homes and camped in the desert to hear John the Baptist teach this: There’s sin in your life, repent! Why would they go to all that trouble to hear that message? We’ll find out while discussing true repentance — what it looks like and how to do it. Hint: It’s not by willpower or grit. It’s something more.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 3:1–20
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Just under 2000 years ago the most pivotal weekend in history took place: Jesus died and rose again that we might know the beauty of relationship with God. Yet how does this historic event impact not only our future but also our present?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore how the death and resurrection of Jesus centuries ago can have a profound impact on how we live today.
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Easter. The most pivotal weekend in history: Jesus was crucified, died and rose again that we might know the beauty of relationship with God. This event took place just under 2,000 years ago, yet it still impacts our present and our future.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 24:1–6
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There are 250 instances in Scripture where God implores His people to praise Him. Some in the past have accused the God of the Bible of being prideful and egotistic for commanding this. So how do we respond?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Marketing and Communication Manager Dayne Logan as they explore reasons why God's leading to worship Him is not only justified but also loving.
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There are 250 instances in Scripture where God implores His people to praise Him and to declare who He is. Whether we acknowledge the truth about Him or not, it doesn’t change what is actually true. And if we don’t do it, the rest of creation will.
Message by Dayne Logan
Scripture referenced: Luke 19:36–40
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As followers of Jesus, we believe the Bible to be the authoritative word on truth. It informs how we see God and the world, and it shapes how we live. Yet for many of our friends, family, coworkers, etc., the Bible doesn't hold much authority at all. So how can we go about sharing the message of the gospel in a culture that doesn't acknowledge the validity of the Bible?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discover how we can use things like nature and popular stories as well as our Bibles asplatforms for sharing our faith.
During his visit to Athens, the leading intellectuals and brightest minds challenged Paul to see if Christianity had intellectual chops. Paul didn’t go to the Bible. He met them on common ground to show them that Christianity isn’t a blind leap of faith into the absurd, but there is credible, logical evidence to defend what we believe.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Acts 17:16–34
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Christians believe the Bible to be God's very words to humanity. It provides truth about who God is, who we are, and how we were made to live. But what reasons do we have to hold to the authenticity and authority of the Bible? Why should we base our whole lives on this ancient book?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore answers to these questions while also providing some practicaltips for engaging with the Bible.
Resources mentioned in this podcast: www.thebiblerecap.com / www.bibleproject.com
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As Christians, we believe the Bible is God’s very word to us. But how did what was written get in there? How do weknow it’s true and accurate? And why should we base our whole lives on this ancient book? When we ready and study the Bible, we discover it’s not just a list of rules; it’s a story that not only tells us about God but reveals Him to us.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Acts 17:1–15
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"Love your neighbor" is probably one of the most famous commandments of Jesus yet perhaps the least practiced. Let's face it, loving those who have hurt us or who we deeply disagree with is challenging and at times seemingly impossible. So how do we go about loving people like this?
Join guest host Dayne Logan and Ridge Director of Discipleship Will Herron as they explore what it means to follow in Jesus' footsteps and love our neighbor well.
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It’s one commandment we all know: Love your neighbor as yourself. Loving some people is easy, particularly those we have much in common with and those who share similar viewpoints and opinions. But we’re also called to love those who challenge us—those we deeply disagree with and those we would do anything to avoid. How do we do that? What does it really mean to love all our neighbors well?
Message by Will Herron
Scripture referenced: Matthew 22:34–40
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While it might not be the most obvious lesson from Acts 16:16-34, how we relate to money and others is a key underlying theme within the passage.
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss why the "Prosperity Gospel" ultimately proves to be unbiblical and a danger to our relationship with God.
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Earthquake. Prison walls crumble, chains fall, doors open. Paul and Silas are free! But they stayed. They stayed because of the jailor. They were aware that their actions would affect his life. And they chose to offer love and grace despite his cruelty toward them. Radical love is counter intuitive, and it has power.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Acts16:16–34
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It doesn't seem like many people would turn down a direct line to God. If we needed to make a big decision in life, we could just call or text and receive an answer right back! While God at times has spoken in a direct manner over specific circumstances, more often than not it is through other less obvious means.
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore how God speaks to us today and how we can know his guiding voice in every aspect of our lives.
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Content: It doesn't seem like many people would turn down a direct line to God. If we needed to make a big decision in life, we could just call or text and receive an answer right back! While God at times has spoken in a direct manner over specific circumstances, more often than not it is through other less obvious means.
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore how God speaks to us today and how we can know his guiding voice in every aspect of our lives.
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Description: Life hands us an endless string of decisions. Many of us want to follow God, but how do we know what He wants for us? Recognize that God isn’t trying to hide His will. He wants us to know His will. But to know that, we must know Him.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Acts16:6–10
A couple of times a year we take the opportunity as a church to hear stories of how God is working in and through people in our community. We call these, Encounter Sundays. This week on the podcast host Will Herron welcomes Ridge Production Director Jacob Clark to share of how God has used some difficult experiences in his life for good.
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It's Encounter Sunday, a day when we take a pause from our normal routine to hear from everyday people who - like the woman at the well - have been transformed by an encounter with Jesus. Stories feature Jacob Clark and Carole Harding.
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People respond to the gospel in different ways. Some are at first resistant (Apostle Paul). Others feel they have no need of a Savior and can earn their way to God through religious practice (the Pharisees). How then do we go about leading people like Paul and the Pharisees to Jesus?
Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS host Will Herron as they discuss ways in which we can be part of people's journey toward relationship with Jesus.
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Rivals compete for our allegiance every day. McDonalds and Burger King. JIF and Skippy. Sometimes we swap brands. Acts calls it conversion. In chapter 16 we see the stories of four conversions. All had different stories. But what ultimately led them to move from secularism or some form of polytheism or Judaism to Jesus? And as His followers, what is our role in that process?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Acts 16:1–15
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If we are doing life with others, conflict is inevitable. At some point we'll have a disagreement on what is best/right. So how do we go about navigating these kinds of conflict? What does the Bible have to say about resolving relational tension?
Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS host Will Herron as they seek answers to these questions in the disagreement of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15.
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Description: In Acts 15, Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark along. Paul adamantly did not. Who was right? Who was wrong? The Bible doesn’t clearly tell us. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe there is something better than winning and being right.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Acts15:36–41
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Whether you look at more recent or ancient history, the church has never been a stranger to disagreement.
Acts 15 gives us insight into one such disagreement that could have derailed the early church and prevented countless people from coming to faith.
Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS Host Will Herron as they discover how this passage can help us navigate disagreements as well as avoid roadblocks we may create for others coming to faith.
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First century Jews who believed in Jesus did not consider themselves to be converts to something new. Jesus was their Jewish Messiah, and they were teaching that you cannot be a Christian without first becoming a Jew. As they understood it, it was Jesus and obeying the Jewish laws. But, in fact, it was something altogether different.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Acts15:1–35
Host Will Herron and financial coach, speaker, and writer Travis Shelton (Meaning Over Money/travisshelton.com) unpack the first principle to stewarding finances well: The way we view money changes everything about how we handle it.
For many followers of Jesus, the idea of spiritual warfare raises questions or perhaps even skepticism. Yet when we look to the Bible, particularly Jesus ministry, we can't deny the presence of a supernatural enemy in the world. So how do we go about identifying and resisting his work in our lives?
Join Ridge Leadership and Ministry Director, Julie Wiemann, and BTS Host Will Herron as they explore some practical ways to engage and win the spiritual battles in our lives.
Song referenced in podcast: Not Today
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The enemy may be invisible, but he’s not fictional. As believers we are not immune from his assaults. But we are given access to the power of God. In fact, we’re promised we are fully equipped for the fight.
Message by Julie Wiemann
Scripture referenced: Ephesians 6:10–18
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None of us are exempt from challenges and problems in our lives. Jesus Himself declared that we would face trouble in this life. But how are we to approach problems when they arise?
How can we avoid getting overwhelmed by the challenges we encounter?
Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees and BTS Host Will Herron as they explore 2 Chronicles 20 and the discover the godly guidance it gives in navigating hardships in our lives.
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A problem-free life is a myth. Problems and challenges and battles are part of our ongoing reality. In 2 Chronicles 20, as the problem intensified and King Jehoshaphat had done what he knew to do — he fasted, sought counsel, prayed — he did another thing. He worshipped. And something happened.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 20
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If we are to develop in any area of our lives, humility and teachability are key. If we are not willing to be challenged in the way we think and act, our potential for growth is limited.
King Ahab ultimately wanted his desires to be validated rather than questioned. How do we avoid this pitfall? How can we be open to challenge and change?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor, Mike Van Rees, as they discuss this and more in our first episode of the new year.
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King Ahab thought he was right, and he didn’t want anyone to tell him that he was wrong. 1 Kings 22 teaches us that truth is not what we like, what we want, what feels good, what everyone else is doing, what works for us. Truth is God’s word.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 22:1–6, 17–18, 34–36
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A good question the start any new year is: Are you listening. Perhaps a better question would be how are we listening? Are we listening to live?
Message by Will Herron
Scripture referenced: Luke 6
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It’s one of the most frequently used words at Christmastime. Immanuel. It’s a word we read and sing and speak over and over. But have you ever stopped to think about what that word means?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Matthew 1:20–23
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No one expects to hear the word “cancer”; and when you do life suddenly speeds up and slows down all at the same time. This past year our podcast guest received that diagnosis and her journey has been a roller coaster since. In the midst of all her treatments she’s faced the journey with peace, hope and the guidance of the Holy Spirit—all gifts Julie talked about in her recent message “The Gifts you Won’t Find Under the Tree”.
Join us as Julie has a candid conversation with Peggy Garland to learn more about her journey and how this Christmas, in spite of her ongoing cancer treatment, she’s experiencing Jesus in the midst of it.
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For young and old alike, there are gifts that won’t be found under the tree that are ours to unwrap. These gifts of peace, grace, hope and the Holy Spirit are all ours to receive. And they are all gifts that never wear out—they are ours now and forever through the gift of Jesus.
Message by Julie Wiemann
Scripture referenced: James 1:17, Romans 5:1, John 14:27
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Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Director of Hospitality Joni Pine for this special Christmas edition of the podcast. Listen in as they welcome some Ridge staff members for some Christmas fun!
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The first step to accepting Jesus as Lord of your life is belief. Believing He is the Son of God, that He bore all your failures, and died and rose again on our behalf. But where do we go from there? What does Jesus call us into beyond that?
Join Pastor Mike and BTS host Will Herron as they discuss how being a disciple of Jesus involves not only belief but a faith that displays itself in the way we speak and live.
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God asks more of us than belief. He asks us to follow. He asks us not to simply believe something about Him, but to let Him lead. In today’s world — in a culture that prizes individual freedom and personal autonomy — why would and should we agree to such a thing?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 18:16–46
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Receiving criticism can often be difficult, yet if we are to grow personally and relationally with others it is necessary. But what about giving criticism? How do we get the balance between hounding others and being passive in this area of our relationships?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss striking the right balance when giving feedback.
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What we see in 1 Kings 21 is not an ideal marriage. Jezebel is a controlling wife, Ahab a passive husband. Yet there is something more, something of paramount importance. Jezebel creates a scheme, she’s the instigator. Yet God ultimately holds Ahab accountable. Why? Doesn't that seem strange?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 21
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It can be surprising or even stunning for us to read the Pharisee's response to Jesus. God came in the flesh and walked among them yet in the end they devised a plan to kill Him. They claimed to understand things about God but never truly came to know God.
Join BTS host Will Herron and Dayne Logan as they explore how we can avoid simply learning about God and enjoy the life with God we were made for.
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The Pharisees. Deeply religious, these men were scholars who knew scripture better than anyone and rose to prominence and influence. They memorized passages that prophesied the promised Messiah. These men knew the Messiah was coming—they were expecting Him, yet they completely missed Jesus. Is it possible that we do the same? Especially now, in the busyness of the season?
Message by Dayne Logan
Scripture referenced: Matthew 16
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Let's face it. Admitting we are wrong doesn't come easily for us. Often our pride can cloud our vision to see where we have been at fault and where we need to turn blame from others to ourselves.
But how can we grow to be more aware of our failures? How can we mature to hold the humility necessary to admit when we are at fault and seek repentance and/or forgiveness?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss what lessons we can learn from 1 Kings 17+18 around these themes and more.
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Sometimes the mess is our own making. God created this world with a certain order. And when we live outside that created order, consequences eventually catch up. When we do things we shouldn’t do, when, not unlike Ahab, we can list the reasons and find excuses, we believe we are justified. Jesus teaches us something much different.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 17–18
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Passages like 1 King 16 can cause pause among modern readers. We see God get angry and act upon that anger–often by inflicting judgement upon an individual or group. Yet if we learn anything from this passage, it's that anger can be used in a God–honoring way. So what does that look like? And when does anger become destructive?
Join BTS host Will Herron, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss what righteous anger looks like and how God's anger can actually comfort and encourage us.
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God gets angry. Does that sound like a bad thing? Though it may come as a surprise, this is actually a good thing. It means we are counting on a God who destroys sin, stops evil, brings justice and restores goodness to this land. We’re counting on a God who is loving and faithful and gracious. All while being holy, righteous and just. He’s all of those. And that's a very good thing.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 16:1–4, 8–13, 15–19
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In 1 King 15 King Asa exhibits several admirable qualities but fails in one area. When push comes to shove he disobeys God in an effort to protect himself and his kingdom. Some might argue that his intentions and the end result were good. So didn't the end justify the means?
Join BTS host Will Herron and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore the inherent dangers of this mindset and highlight other teachable moments from this passage.
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King Asa seems an admirable leader as he takes the throne. He knows what needs to change, and he sees to it. All is well for awhile. But soon he goes against God’s instruction in an effort to protect himself and his kingdom. His intentions were good. The outcome was just what he wanted. But did the end justify the means? Even if it meant blatant disobedience against God?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 15:9–19
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For such a familiar part of the Christian life, prayer is often the most neglected aspects of our relationship with God. Well meaning aspirations of setting aside time to pray succumb to busy work schedules, personal commitments, or general tiredness.
Join Will Herron and guest host, Dayne Logan, as they seek to re discover the treasure and joy of talking with the God of the universe.
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The disciples saw Jesus praying, and they wanted to know how to do it themselves. So, He teaches them. Jesus instructs them in the same patterns He Himself lived by and gives them The Lord’s Prayer. There’s so much Jesus reveals through this template of prayer, the most important being this: Prayer is an invitation into relationship with God.
Message by Will Herron
Scripture referenced: Matthew 6:5–13
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In this week's episode, Pastor Mike and Will address the very real possibility of our faith becoming an academic exercise where following Jesus entails knowing the right things but not necessarily living the right way.
So how do we avoid this pitfall? How can we learn about God while also applying what we hear in our daily lives? Listen in as we explore these questions and more.
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When it comes to following Jesus, often we aren’t lacking facts and information. We already know, but we don’t do. The goal of reading the Bible isn’t simply to understand; it’s to put into action. If we aren’t careful, the Christianity can morph into an academic exercise instead of a lifestyle. How can we be sure our faith isn’t something we simply study but something we become?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 13:1–19, 23–24
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Things like shopping, entertainment, dining and banking have never been more convenient. From ordering food to your door to viewing your favorite new movie releases right in the comfort of your living room, many every day things have never been easier.
Join Pastor Mike and BTS host Will Herron as they discover that, while convenience is helpful in certain areas of life, it doesn't work so well as a general life philosophy.
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The kingdom has split. Israel to the north and Judah to the south. With Jerusalem in the north, now the southern kingdom is without a temple, it's without a place to worship. So, King Jeroboam makes some changes. He lowered the standards of God, substituted what was right for what was easy, and created a faith that demanded little. But why? What was behind the decisions Jeroboam made?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 12:20–33
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Decision making is a part of our everyday. From the simple things like what we are going to eat for breakfast to bigger things like whether to accept a new job or not. Yet how do we go about making decisions? Particularly the potentially life changing ones?
Join Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees, and BTS podcast host, Will Herron, as the explore some practical ways to approach making good choices in our lives.
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Rehoboam had a decision to make — one that would greatly affect the future. He did a couple of things right: He waited. And he sought counsel. The advice he ultimately took, though, was from unwise friends. As a result, the kingdom split in two. How do you go about making decisions? Who are you listening to? Who are you surrounding yourself with? Who are you influenced by?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 12
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Many in the modern day believe that discerning right and wrong is a personal endeavor. Our morality is defined not externally by God but internally by each individual.
Join Will and Marketing and Communication Manager, Dayne Logan, as they explore what the Bible has to teach us about discerning good/evil and growing into people of wisdom.
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Many in the modern day believe that discerning right and wrong is a personal endeavor. Our morality is defined not externally by God but internally by each individual.
Join Will and Marketing and Communication Manager, Dayne Logan, as they explore what the Bible has to teach us about discerning good/evil and growing into people of wisdom.
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Many in the modern day believe that discerning right and wrong is a personal endeavor. Our morality is defined not externally by God but internally by each individual.
Join Will and Marketing and Communication Manager, Dayne Logan, as they explore what the Bible has to teach us about discerning good/evil and growing into people of wisdom.
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He could have had absolutely anything. But when God asked Solomon what he wanted, he didn’t ask for riches or fame, peace or long life; rather, Solomon requested wisdom. But here’s the thing: When we are made aware of the existence of good and bad, we have the power to do enormous good, but it also occurs us that we have the option of doing evil things.
Message by Dayne Logan
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 3–4
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He could have had absolutely anything. But when God asked Solomon what he wanted, he didn’t ask for riches or fame, peace or long life; rather, Solomon requested wisdom. But here’s the thing: When we are made aware of the existence of good and bad, we have the power to do enormous good, but it also occurs us that we have the option of doing evil things.
Message by Dayne Logan
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 3–4
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He could have had absolutely anything. But when God asked Solomon what he wanted, he didn’t ask for riches or fame, peace or long life; rather, Solomon requested wisdom. But here’s the thing: When we are made aware of the existence of good and bad, we have the power to do enormous good, but it also occurs us that we have the option of doing evil things.
Message by Dayne Logan
Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 3–4
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This week we begin a new sermon series on the kings of the Bible. In this week's episode, Pastor Mike and Will take an opportunity to discuss ways in which we can use the influence that we hold in our lives to honor God. They also explore some ways that we can avoid some of the pitfalls that befell the kings of the Bible.
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This week we begin a new sermon series on the kings of the Bible. In this week's episode, Pastor Mike and Will take an opportunity to discuss ways in which we can use the influence that we hold in our lives to honor God. They also explore some ways that we can avoid some of the pitfalls that befell the kings of the Bible.
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This week we begin a new sermon series on the kings of the Bible. In this week's episode, Pastor Mike and Will take an opportunity to discuss ways in which we can use the influence that we hold in our lives to honor God. They also explore some ways that we can avoid some of the pitfalls that befell the kings of the Bible.
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With the exception of Job, every book from 1 Samuel to the end of the Old Testament is about the kings. That's about half of the Bible. This sermon marks the beginning of a series in which we'll take a close look at the leaders of ancient Israel and all the ways they used — and abused — their power, influence, and resources.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Deuteronomy 17:14–20
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With the exception of Job, every book from 1 Samuel to the end of the Old Testament is about the kings. That's about half of the Bible. This sermon marks the beginning of a series in which we'll take a close look at the leaders of ancient Israel and all the ways they used — and abused — their power, influence, and resources.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Deuteronomy 17:14–20
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With the exception of Job, every book from 1 Samuel to the end of the Old Testament is about the kings. That's about half of the Bible. This sermon marks the beginning of a series in which we'll take a close look at the leaders of ancient Israel and all the ways they used — and abused — their power, influence, and resources.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Deuteronomy 17:14–20
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While the truth of God's sovereignty can bring great comfort and hope, it can also raise some deep questions: "How could God let ... happen to me?" or "If God could stop something but chooses not to, does that make Him ultimately responsible?"
Join Mike and Will as they explore these challenging questions in this week's edition of the podcast.
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The book of Genesis concludes with Joseph looking back over his life. But how does he make sense of his great reversals from favored child to slave then to hero? The theological word to explain it all is sovereignty, which basically means God is in control. Nothing can thwart his plan and purpose — not even the sin of man. Rather, He uses it all to bring forth good.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 50
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Pastor Mike and BTS host, Will Herron, cover a variety of topics on this weeks episode. From exploring how we speak the truth in love without judgement, to unpacking why being involved in the life of the church is key to our spiritual growth.
Join Mike and Will as they explore these areas and more.
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Sometimes the deepest blessing is to point out truth. Here’s the message that comes screaming out of Genesis 49: Present actions have future repercussions. Temporary pleasure does not equal lasting fulfillment. Our choices today have consequences for tomorrow—our choices effect our lives, the lives of our children, and generations to come.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 49
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More than ever it feels like we are in danger of becoming overly self focused. Everywhere you look, things are catered to what we want, how we want it, when we want it. So how does this line up with Jesus call to be "last" and "the servant of all"? To live more focused on others than ourselves?
Join Director of Outreach, Mary Kohlsdorf and BTS host, Will Herron, as they explore these questions and discover just how transformational service can be for all involved.
Click here to access this content as well as previous weeks of the show.
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Honoring our father and mother can be difficult sometimes, particularly if they've fallen short of God's intention for those roles. So how do we go about living out this commandment? And how do we parent/influence younger generations in a way that honors God?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they explore some practical ways to approach these questions in our weekly podcast.
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What is the goal of parenting? To do everything in your power to influence your children to willingly and joyfully follow Jesus. It starts here: Do you love and follow and grow in your relationship with God? You can’t give what you don’t have. Here’s the rest of it: Every conversation is an opportunity to point to God. He isn’t just in a book or in our heads. He influences what we believe and how we live. Capture every opportunity to show Him to your kids — to the younger generation.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 48
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While we can celebrate with Jacob and his family over their relocation to an abundant land, we also recognize that the lands of Egypt and Canaan remained in severe famine. As we think of our own lives, God doesn’t promise that we won’t have famine or troubles, but He does promise His presence and provision within it.
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they share stories of how they have experienced this on a personal level.
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There is a belief that is widely held. It’s false. And it can train wreck your faith. Here it is: God will keep you from pain and deliver you from difficulty. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that. What it does say, what God does promise, though, is that He is with us ready and waiting with provision. He is good, even when our circumstances are not. That is why we can worship in every season.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 47:7–11, 13-25
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Peter's letter was received by Christians undergoing severe persecution. Often in church history it's at such times that we see great spiritual growth. And while we may not experience the same level of suffering as this first century audience, we can still encounter challenging seasons in our own lives. So is it possible for God to use these situations to help us grow in a similar way? If so, how?
Join Julie and Will as they discuss this further as well as discover how God's plans for the future and speak healing into our present.
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Peter writes about glorious, inexpressible joy. And he reveals that the reward for trusting Jesus will be the salvation of the soul. So, even in the face of horrific daily challenges, Peter encourages first-century Christians — and us — to rejoice. Because we have a joy that comes from heaven and one we can’t humanly describe. It’s joy in the reward yet to come — joy in the eternal hope we have in Jesus.
Message by Julie Wiemann
Scripture referenced: 1 Peter 1:1–9
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The Bible teaches us that God desires to speak to us and lead us in His plans and purposes. But how do we go about discerning His voice amongst all the other voices both inside and outside of us? How can we be sure we are hearing from God and not just ourselves?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they explore some practical steps to growing in hearing God's voice.
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Should he stay or should he go? Jacob is living in the Promised Land. But he discovers his beloved son is alive and doing very well in Egypt. Jacob is desperate to see him. But he knows once he steps foot beyond Beersheba, he will exit the Promised Land. If he leaves, what about the promises? What about the land? What about the covenant? Jacob puts aside his emotions and seeks God’s will. Do you do that? Can you discern His voice?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 46
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There are few things harder in life than forgiveness. People can hurt one another deeply, and the impact can be painful and long lasting. And yet if we are to make steps toward healing, forgiveness is essential.
So how do we go about doing what can sometimes seem impossible? How do we follow the example of Jesus and Joseph and seek pardon rather than revenge?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they offer practical steps and helpful insights around this challenging topic.
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We've been studying this guy Joseph for several weeks now. One of the recurring themes? Joseph has been wronged. So what happens? Does he get revenge? Nope. Joseph forgives. But that’s not all Genesis 45 is about. It's about more. Genesis 45 is about restoration, too.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 44, 45
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Remember those prizes that came in cereal boxes? With some, if you collected enough tokens, you could submit them for a bigger prize. Sometimes we have the same idea with salvation: If we just accumulate enough of what we see as religious tokens—attending church, doing good things for others, reading our Bible, praying—at some point God will be pleased, and we'll qualify to spend eternity with Him. That isn’t how it works, though. It’s something much different than that.
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Remember those prizes that came in cereal boxes? With some, if you collected enough tokens, you could submit them for a bigger prize. Sometimes we have the same idea with salvation: If we just accumulate enough of what we see as religious tokens—attending church, doing good things for others, reading our Bible, praying—at some point God will be pleased, and we'll qualify to spend eternity with Him. That isn’t how it works, though. It’s something much different than that.
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We only have to look at the lives of Jesus first disciples to realize that following after Him is far from a life of safety and luxury. Rather, He calls us into a life of faith, stepping out beyond our comfort zone and trusting in Him.
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss how we can turn from primarily seeking comfort and ease, to seeking Christ and His plans.
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The La-Z-Boy is the bestselling chair in America. Mostly because we have an innate desire to immerse ourselves in comfort. The American dream is to live a low stress, high comfort life—to play a low intensity game. And we can superimpose our quest for comfort upon our expectations of following Jesus. But how did we ever get that idea—the idea that the Christian life is a comfortable life when the one we claim to follow was crucified on a cross?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 42, 43
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All of us have been or are in situations where we have sought the Lord's guidance. Whether it's deciding on a new job opportunity or wisdom in relationships, we desire to know God's leading in our lives. But how do we go about hearing from Him? How do we discern His leading in our lives?
Join Dayne and Will as they explore these questions and more in this week's episode.
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God can take a reluctant man from an unremarkable family in an unremarkable tribe and put him in charge of an army. God can take that army and reduce it to just 300 water-lapping men. God can use a bread dream to strike fear into the hearts of an enemy army of 135,000. And God can defeat that enemy army with trumpets and torches and clay pots. Gideon’s story challenges and reminds us that God can do anything, if we’re willing to partner with Him.
Message by Dayne Logan
Scripture referenced: Judges 6, 7
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Facing up to the darker chapters in our story can be hard. Often we'd rather bury them in the past, even if it means harboring deep guilt within. Yet as we learn from Joseph's brothers, guilt doesn't go away with time. So how do we face up to our failures? How do we find forgiveness and freedom from a dark past?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss what lessons we can learn from Genesis 42 when it comes to facing up to guilt in our lives and moving forward into the life God intended for us.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 42
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Is there someone you never want to run into? Something you never want brought up? A moment you don’t want to be reminded of? The guilt of our past doesn’t go away with time. We can’t go back and change it. We can’t run from it. But if we face the past, if we remember it and focus on the truth — that we are forgiven and free —we can heal it.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 42
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In Genesis 41 we finally see Joseph's fortunes change as he rises up to one of the highest positions of authority in Egypt. Yet his journey to that point was lengthy and not without its difficulties and hardships.
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss how we can learn to identify God's voice in our lives and wait on Him patiently.
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Joseph is like the Cinderella of the Bible. Hers is a classic rags to riches story. So is Joseph’s. The difference? What happened to Joseph wasn’t random. Going from prison to palace wasn’t a lucky break. It was God working out His plan and His purpose through Joseph’s life. It was God speaking. Joseph learned to recognize this. Joseph heard Him. And we can, too.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 41
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Noah and the Ark is perhaps one of the most familiar biblical stories, particularly among children. Yet we can't avoid the stark reality of the details of the story either.
So how do we reconcile the picture of God as both a judge of the world and savior of the world? And how do we face up to the kinds of fears Noah no doubt faced when looking to obey God’s call?
Join Ridge Leadership and Ministry Director, Julie Wiemann, and host Will Herron, as they explore these challenging questions and more in this week’s podcast episode.
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Noah and the ark is perhaps one of the most familiar biblical stories. The old man with the white beard and the animals two by two. Cute, right? Sure. But there’s so much more to the narrative than that. Have you ever thought about the fears Noah faced when obeying God’s call and instruction? Or how Noah’s response to God helps us trust God today?
Message by Julie Wiemann
Scripture referenced: Genesis 6:5–14, 22; 7:11–12
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So does Jesus' call to deny ourselves mean we lose all sense of uniqueness/identity of who we are? What are signs of spiritual attack in our lives? And what does it really mean for Jesus to be Lord over your whole life?
This week on the podcast, guest host Ridge Marketing and Communications Manager Dayne Logan poses these questions and more to Will as they look to explore Jesus' call into discipleship in Mark 8.
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What does it really look like to be a follower of Jesus in daily life? As we look to become disciples of Christ, it’s easy to get caught up in the theory. It all sounds good—submit to the Lord, love others, honor Him in our work and in all we do. But how do we get beyond these principles to practically living them out?
Message by Will Herron
Scripture referenced: Mark 8:34–38
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When we encounter pain or difficult circumstances in our lives, it's hard not to become insular and even bitter with God or others. Yet Joseph shows us that the opposite is possible with God's help.
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss practically how this works as well as give some tips to keeping God's character and love fresh in our memory.
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The cultural view of a successful career is to climb the ladder—to move on up the org chart. The Bible, though, offers a revolutionary understanding of the purpose of work: It isn’t a way to prosper and promote ourselves. Work is a way for us to serve, bless, help, and advance others—to go beyond our own self-interests to add value to the lives of others. When the purpose of our work connects with God’s work, His meaning and purpose, it gets good.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 40
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Though only 23 verses, Genesis chapter 39 proves to be a source of wisdom on resisting temptation, God's presence and providence, and the hope of change in difficult seasons.
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss these areas and more on this week's BTS Podcast.
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The Bible isn’t about what a lot of people think it’s about. It’s not about a problem-free life where there are no issues and everybody lives happily ever after. It’s a whole lot more relevant than that. In Genesis chapter 39, God is speaking. What He is telling us: He is with us just as much when life is hard as He is when life is good.
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As we continue looking at the life of Joseph, we are taking some time to hone in on the family line that preceded him. As with many parts of the Old Testament, it is filled with stories of relational dysfunction and people following their own way apart from God.
So what can we learn from these stories about how God has called us to live? And how does this all relate to challenges we have in our own family history/present relationships?
Join Doug and Will as they discuss these questions and more on our weekly Beyond the Sermon podcast.
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Earlier in Genesis we see the family line that preceded Joseph. Starting with Abram and Sarai, Joseph’s family history is filled with dysfunction and with people choosing to follow their own way apart from God. Despite, what we ultimately see is that God knows. He cares. And He uses it all — even the most broken people and situations and circumstances — for good.
Message by Doug Applegate
Scripture referenced: Genesis 15:1–6, 16:1–6, 20:1–7
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One of the most wonderful aspects of the gospel is the news that we can experience change in our lives. We can know freedom from internal struggles, and transformation into the likeness of Jesus. But how does this actually happen? And what's so wrong with just pursuing your desires anyway?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss the path to personal change and the life God created us to live.
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Facing any temptation today? Here is what you need to know: Seemingly small decisions impact our lives significantly. Often, it’s not just one failed dramatic moment that causes our world to fall apart. It doesn’t happen at all once. Rather, it happens one decision at a time. And this: God knows. He cares. And He has a way out. Take Joseph’s lead. Resist, turn, flee and run away.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 39:1–18
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Guilt is a weight that can, if we let it, drive us away from God and others. But is there a way that our past actions can be redeemed for good? And is freedom from the bonds of guilt truly possible?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they explore what the Bible teaches about God's power to take our greatest failures and use them for ultimate good.
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Ever felt like you’re not good enough? Not worthy enough? Judah certainly wasn’t. Just look at Genesis 38. Judah had spiritual deficiencies, moral failures, fears, insecurities, inadequacies. He messed up. He sinned. Time and time again. But God didn’t discard or discount Judah. God didn't give up on him. And He doesn't give up on us.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 38
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Passing the baton isn't something that just happens; it requires our intentional participation. But what does it look like practically to raise up younger generations? And what happens when we drop the baton ourselves? How can we get back in the race?
Join Joey and Will as they discuss these questions and more on this week's BTS Podcast.
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There is a handoff going on — a passing of the baton — from one generation to the next. We are called to train the younger generation in wisdom and to share our walk with Jesus. Now is the time. To whom are you going to pass the baton? How do you plan to do it?
Message by Joey Weber
Scripture referenced: 2 Timothy 1:5, 2:1–2
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Parenting is one of the greatest responsibilities and privileges. God has entrusted our children to us to show them who He is and help guide them toward a life that He desires for them. If you don't have children of your own, the principle still applies — we can all have a positive influence on younger generations.
So what does this look like practically? Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss this and other takeaways from the Genesis 37 story.
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Parenting is hard. Just being an adult is hard. All of it comes with overwhelming responsibility. And sometimes we mess up. Like Jacob. To put it kindly, his parenting was lacking. The coat of many colors shows us that Jacob played favorites. Joseph’s bragging about dreams shows us that Jacob was passive in letting the sibling enmity grow. How are these parenting fails relevant to us today? It’s this: Our children are growing up in a world of mixed messages, and they’re looking to their parents and to other adults in their lives wanting to know, is our faith real? Does Jesus really influence our lives? That’s a question that deserves an answer. And we answer it a thousand times every single day.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Genesis 37:1–8, 18–20, 23–24, 26–28
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The literal, physical resurrection of Jesus is central to the Christian faith. In the words of the Apostle Paul, if the resurrection didn't happen, "we are to be pitied more than all men" (1 Cor 15:19).
Join Pastor Mike and Will Herron as they discuss evidence for the resurrection as well as some helpful practical steps beyond Easter.
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If you haven’t accepted the claims of Easter, why not? Do you believe them to be true? If you want to determine if Christianity is true or false, don’t look at Christians who have hurt you, things that disappoint you, or questions that baffle you. Look at Jesus. The reason people in the first century decided to follow Jesus wasn’t based on faith, it was based on evidence. It wasn’t an empty tomb that convinced them. It was Him. They saw Jesus. Very much alive.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 14:1–6
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A donkey, palm branches, and a rapturous crowd. There is a lot going on in our passage this week. Yet it was all building up to the moment where Jesus would lay down His life for the sake of the world.
Join Pastor Mike and Will Herron as they explore the miraculous, prepare for Easter weekend, and discuss why this rapturous crowd turned hostile in a matter of days. Click here to access the discussion.
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What is God’s greatest miracle — the greatest of all time? Our answer may rest in the heart of the Easter season. Greater than speaking a world into existence, greater than holding the sun still in the sky, and greater than bringing the dead back to life, is the miracle of the cross. Jesus had the ability to stop His suffering. He had the power and the authority, but He did not use it. He stayed. He hung on that cross.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 19:35–38)
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To both Jesus and the surrounding Jews, this Roman centurion had something different about him. His faith, humility, and genuine care stood out in the crowd. Yet he was still a leading member of the Roman army involved in the occupation of the Jews at that time.
Join Julie Wiemann and Will Herron as they explore what it means to show God's mercy to others, even in the face of stark difference or past/present hurt.
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The Roman centurion. What can we learn from him? To look at the centurion, you would think he wouldn’t have any need for any sort of encounter with Jesus. But he did. In fact, he set aside economic and racial barriers to seek Jesus in his time of need. His story is where following Jesus moves from head to heart.
Message by Julie Weimann
Scripture referenced: Luke 7:1–10
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While the title of Jesus's parable may be "The Prodigal Son," we can learn much from each of the three characters in this famous story.
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they explore what Jesus teaches us about God, us, and what it looks like for us to to follow God out of love rather than duty.
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What if God’s goal for us isn’t for us to just believe in Him, obey Him, or even respect Him? What if His goal — the desire of His heart is simply to love Him? What would it take for you to love Him back? A miracle? The promise of a life without challenges or difficulties? Or witnessing His glory? All these things would help you believe in Him, sure, but would you love Him?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 15:11–32
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One only has to look at many of the major religions of the world to see that we as humans carry a sense of needing to earn our way to God/a higher power. Christianity, however, stands unique in teaching of our need of a remedy not from within but from without. Yet how do we avoid falling into the pitfall of relying on our own goodness to attain or sustain our relationship with God?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they explore how we can truly live in light of God's gracious gift of eternal life in Jesus.
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Luke 18 is an evangelistic encounter with Jesus. But Jesus doesn’t model an altar call or pray the sinner’s prayer. Rather, through this encounter, He tells us that no matter how good we think we are or how much we obey, give, or minister, the kingdom of heaven cannot be bought or earned. There’s just one thing we need, one thing that money and deeds often leave us lacking. Surrender. Choosing Him should change our lives. Following Him should change our ways and influence how we spend our days.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 18:18–30
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We live in a culture that thrives on purchasing and acquiring things. The explosion of online shopping in the last 15 years or so has only reinforced this trend.
So how do we follow Jesus's direction to be "rich toward God" yet still live in a balanced way regarding our purchases and finances? This is just one of the questions Doug and Will explore in this week's discussion.
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We’re living in a world and in a culture that thrives on more. It’s counter to what Jesus tells and teaches us. He instructs us to beware of greed. He even warns us to guard ourselves against it. So, how do we do that? Maybe the better question to ask is: What are you putting your trust in?
Message by Doug Applegate
Scripture referenced: Luke 12:15–21
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It seems fitting that as we draw our Daniel series to a close, that our final chapter should focus in the end of the world. For many however, heaven and hell can be challenging to begin to grasp both on a practical and emotional level. What will heaven be like? How could a loving God allow anyone to go to hell?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they explore these challenges as well as the impact that a healthy understanding of death can have on our day-to-day lives.
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We all want to know how the story ends, don’t we? Chapter 12 is the last chapter in the biblical book of Daniel. The book doesn’t end with the lion’s den or the fiery furnace, or the handwriting on the wall. Rather, it concludes with end times along with a glimpse of the resurrection. The book of Daniel ends with this truth: Death will come, but it will not win.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Daniel 12:1–13
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In many ways we live in a culture "where there is a subconscious drive to eliminate mystery.” How many calories are in an M&M? Ask Siri. How far away is Mars? Ask Alexa. Yet how does this constant conditioning impact our interaction with a God who in many ways is both above and beyond our ability to understand or comprehend?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discover how key mystery is in knowing God. You can click here to access our weekly podcast (releases Monday).
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Not knowing is uncomfortable. There’s a subconscious drive to have the answers and to eliminate mystery. Not knowing is not something we’re used to in our advanced Western culture. We can figure out and understand some things — a lot of things, in fact. But we can’t always do that with God. So, what are we supposed to do with that? Pastor Mike helps us make sense of living with the mysteries of God.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Daniel 11:36–45
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For many, the animal sacrifices depicted in the Old Testament come across as unusual if not unsettling. Yet as we learned from Pastor Mike's message, life requires the sacrifice of life — it is a key part of our existence not only physically but spiritually.
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they explore how the discipline of sacrifice plays out in our day-to-day relationship with God and others.
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The abomination that causes desolation mentioned in Daniel 11 is pivotal to understanding the chapter. But what is it? Remember that what was prophecy for Daniel is history for us. To topple Israel, Antiochus Epiphanes’s strategy was this: to abolish the daily sacrifice. Pastor Mike explains the meaning behind animal sacrifice, the importance of daily sacrifice, and why it’s so important that we live for something more than ourselves.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Daniel 11:29–35
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One of the many amazing aspects of the gospel is that we can experience deep transformation through the work of God's Spirit. Yet how does this change happen? And how can we know we are in the right place to encounter God in this transformative way?
Join Will and Leadership and Ministry Director, Julie Wiemann as they discuss what exactly this supernatural work of God looks like in our daily lives.
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As Pastor Mike mentioned, God's sovereignty can fill us with hope and encouragement from the past and for the future. And yet it can also raise some questions, particularly when things happen in our lives that are painful and challenging.
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss how we navigate those seasons as well as ways in which we can grow in trust in God and His ways.
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Kings, battles and conquests fill Daniel 11, and admittedly, it’s confusing. But it is significant for us even today. Daniel 11 shows us that God’s sovereignty doesn’t mean that everything that happens is good and happy or even what God desires. But here’s the good news: God loves us and will not abandon us. He is good despite the pain and hurt. And He brings good out of bad, joy out of pain, blessing out of grief, resurrection out of crucifixion.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Daniel 11
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Daniel 10 pulls back the curtain on the physical world into the spiritual realm. Cosmic battles and angels being held captive are some of what was happening behind the scenes, yet how do we respond to this today? Are we really involved in a spiritual battle? Are there really forces at work against us?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they seek to answer these questions and more.
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Daniel 10 articulates another vision — one of a powerful Jesus — and a message from an angel. Through these two things we see beyond the visible to the spiritual war being waged between God and the enemy. We see that there is an adversary, there is an opponent. He is against God and against us. Satan orchestrates sickness and chaos. But regardless of what we see and feel, there is a deeper power at work in this world: The resurrection power of Jesus.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Daniel 10:1–13, 17–19
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Symbolic images and biblical mathematics — Daniel 9 offers the kind of ingredients that are often hard to digest for the average Bible reader. So how do we go about tackling passages like this? Join Pastor Mike and Will as they share insights into how to approach Bible reading as well as how prophecy passages like this can break the hold of fear in our lives.
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Daniel 9 concludes with a rapid-fire prophecy. It’s one full of numbers and references to building and destruction and one that is admittedly a bit confusing. But if we look at it piece by piece, there is a clear message from God that something — or rather someone — good is coming to Daniel and to his people and to us. In this prophecy, God is promising a king — one who is coming not just to rule and reign but also to save.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Daniel 9:20–27
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At The Ridge we believe that there is more to church life than simply attending services in person or online. God has made us to both live and follow Him in the company of others. But is community really that important? Isn't it possible to just fly solo as a Christian, stepping into services when you can?
Join our Director of Hospitality, Joni Pine, as she shares the ways in which being in community has played a critical role in her walk with God.
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Guest Rev. Dr. Erin Clifford has spent considerable time working in the areas of spiritual formation, community and fellowship. She joins us to discuss what it means to connect and why we, as Christians, are called to do it in the first place. Dr. Clifford encourages us with the reminder that we’re invited into the community of Christ.
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Shame is an emotion familiar to most yet as we discovered in our sermon on Sunday, there are various ways we respond to it.
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they review some unhelpful responses to shame while highlighting why confession proves so essential when it comes to navigating failures in our life.
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We all experience feelings of guilt and shame in our lives, and our tendency is to deny it, blame someone else, feel bad about it, or even embrace it. But God offers an alternative: Confession. Confession isn't about letting God in on our dirty little secrets. He knows. Confession allows God to forgive us, to make us clean.
Message by Mike Van Rees | Scripture referenced: Daniel 9
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Does it? Does prayer change things? If we look at Hezekiah’s desperate plea in 2 Kings 20, we find clarity. We see that sometimes, yes, prayer moves the hand of God—sometimes it changes our circumstances. But what about when it doesn’t? What then?
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: 2 Kings 20
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For many of us growing up, prayer carried a sense of formality to the point of it becoming intimidating. Yet the Bible teaches something quite different about how we should approach God in conversation. As we enter into the new year, we begin reflecting on prayer — what it is and what it isn’t. Join Will and Pastor Mike as they discuss what the Bible teaches on this area of conversation with God.
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After the Manger - December 26 is more than the day after Christmas. It’s Boxing Day. Traditionally, it’s a day of charity—a day to give thanks for the abundance received during the Christmas season by blessing others. All throughout the Bible, God calls us to be prepared to sacrifice our wealth to help those in need—such as the Wise Men and their gifts for and recognition of the Messiah. Let’s see how all of this encourages us to live generously today.
Message by Dayne Logan
Scripture referenced: Matthew 2:1–16
The shepherds left their fields and found Jesus. How? The angels gave them three signs: a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, a manger and the town of David—Bethlehem. Each of these signs of Christmas have individual meanings, yes, but Pastor Mike reveals the one thing they all have in common.
Message by Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Luke 2:8–14
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This week we take a break from our Daniel series and focus on what in many ways is a prequel to the Nativity story. In the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, we witness both the experience of radical interruption coupled with faith in the midst of doubt.
Join Julie and Will as they discuss some healthy ways to respond to major interruptions in our lives, as well as what it looks like to have faith while experiencing doubt.
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A message from Julie Wiemann: This week we look at Luke 1, which is in many ways a prequel to the Nativity story. Here we see Zechariah’s and Elizabeth’s responses to radical interruption and learn what it means to have faith and trust God even while experiencing doubt.
Message by Julie Wiemann
Scripture referenced: Luke 1:5–20
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Daniel 8 in many ways is similar to the previous chapter. We witness both the sovereignty of God over kingdoms of the earth as well as His judgement to come. For many however, it's passages like this that turn people off Christianity. How could a loving God hand out judgement like we witness here and elsewhere in the Bible?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discover the ways in which God's heart for justice can be a source of hope for us in the present.
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Daniel Chapter 8 - In the second half of the book of Daniel, God continues to speak to Daniel about the future in dreams and visions. Chapter 8 It builds on the prophecy of four global empires in chapter 7. Yet there’s more to it: Daniel 8 is recognition that we live in a world full of abuse of power, injustice, evil, sin and darkness—a world that is far from wonderful. So, what do we do with that? Well, we see that justice delayed is not justice denied. And there truly is no future in evil. That’s the hope we have in worshipping a just God.
Message by Pr. Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Daniel 8
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Sometimes when we encounter prophetic/apocalyptic (speaking of end times) passages in the Bible, we can clock out. All the symbolism and imagery is just too confusing and overwhelming. Yet God intentionally put these passages in the Bible, so how do we go about engaging with them?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss some ways to go about hearing what God is saying through these challenging yet insightful passages.
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Daniel: Hope in/for a Hostile World, Chapter 7 - Daniel has a dream with visions passing through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote the substance of his dream in chapter 7. And it’s full of beasts and horns and thrones. What do we do with that? Well, it’s in the Bible, so there’s something God wants us to know. Pastor Mike brings clarity. And reveals how the words of verse 14 were very words Jesus claimed about Himself and they are the words of our own declaration of faith.
Message by Pr. Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Daniel 7
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It's the season of Thanksgiving - a time to gather with family, eat food, and watch football. More importantly though, it's a season to reflect and give thanks for God's goodness in our lives. Is it however, that we could become people for whom thanksgiving is a daily part of our lives? Not just a holiday once a year? Join Joey and Will as they explore these questions and more in this weeks BTS discussion.
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Daniel 6: You might argue that the story of Daniel in the lion’s den is one of the most well known in the Bible. It is. But is it possible that we’ve been misinterpreting it — that we have it wrong? Pastor Mike discusses how this scripture is not a promise that God will protect us from the lions. He can, yes. But sometimes He doesn’t. Daniel and the lion’s den is about how God changed the world through the faithfulness of one man. Can He do the same through us?
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Message by Joey Weber: Black Friday. There’s nothing wrong with getting a good deal. But is there something that should cause us pause at the idea of rushing past the things right in front of us — the things we should be thankful for — to rush to the things we think we need or want? It should. But often it doesn’t. And it’s nothing new. That ungratefulness is a thread woven through the Bible from the Old Testament to the New. So, what can we do about it?
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One could say that the story of Daniel in the lion's den is one of the most famous in the Bible. Yet is it possible that we've been misunderstanding it? What is God truly saying to us through this passage?
Join Pastor Mike and Will as they explore the many layers of Daniel 6 and also speak to how personal, intentional prayer has impacted their lives.
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In Daniel 5 we read of God's radical interruption of King Belshazzar's life.The King had squandered all that God had entrusted Him and was held accountable in the end. But what can we learn and apply from this story? Join Pastor Mike and Will as they discuss ways we can resist the pull of sin while being intentional about how we are using what God has given us (time/talents etc).
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Daniel chapter 5: The handwriting is on the wall. We’ve heard that. But did you know the origin of that saying is in Daniel chapter 5? It’s here we learn, too, that there are principles—there are laws—woven into the fabric of creation. And they aren’t there so a rigid God can restrict our fun and boss us around. No. They are given to us by a loving God to protect us and the abundance and blessing He has for us. It’s our choice, though. We can live in revelry contrary to the way He has instructed. But just like it did for Belshazzar, we’ll quickly find that it will cause damage and there will be consequence.
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In this week's BTS discussion, Will is joined by Doug Applegate (Director of Family Ministries). Listen in as they discuss the various obstacles that stand in the way of whole hearted faith, as well as some ways we can grow to trust God more in our lives.
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A Message from Doug Applegate: In all his wisdom, Solomon encourages us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts. Often we determine whom we can trust by knowing the person and his or her character. How a person acts and speaks over time tells us a lot about how much we can trust him or her with various aspects of our lives. When it comes to God, we have a little mover 750,000 words spread out over 66 books and 1,189 chapters that speak directly to who He is along with His character, nature, and attributes. But what does it really mean to trust God? And how do we place our trust in Him?
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Daniel Chapter 4 - In Daniel chapter 4, King Nebuchadnezzar has a pride problem. He has grown powerful and influential and has fallen in love with his own legend. So God issues a rather radical consequence, yet Nebuchadnezzar's response is just as extreme. Through it we see that in our deepest problems—in our deepest hurt—God has more. He has something good. If we, like Nebuchadnezzar, just raise our eyes toward heaven.
Daniel Chapter 3 - To live as an exile is a challenge, certainly. In fact, here in Daniel chapter 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego find themselves yet again at odds with King Nebuchadnezzar when they refuse his order to bow to a statue of gold. The punishment for disobedience to this command? To be thrown into the fiery furnace. It seems there are two potential outcomes here: God rescues Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego or they burn to death. The three were obeying the Lord when they refused the king's edict. Surely they were spared the furnace, or were they?
Message by Will Herron - Jesus was the master of illustration and parable. And He uses such a story in Luke 11 to communicate the nature of God and the nature of prayer. Cultural insights are helpful to understand what Jesus is telling us, as is looking at the characters and their actions. From all of it, we learn that God wants us to come to Him with honesty and boldness and with an understanding of His heart.
Scripture referenced: Luke 11:5–13
Daniel Chapter 2: When Daniel was faced with the impossible—when his very life was in jeopardy—he prayed. And God answered. He provided Daniel with revelation. He gave Him the meaning of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream, which was a prophecy foretelling future events. This situation and prophecy from 2500 years ago is still applicable to us today. It (along with a whole lot of other Bible verses) teaches us the first thing to do is to pray—not to figure it out or fix it on our own, but to ask God. And Nebuchadnezzar's dream reveals the new heaven and new earth—what is to come. In that, we know there is no future in pain. There is no future in evil. That should change how we live in the present.
Message by Pr. Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Daniel 2
Daniel: Chapter 1 - The kingdom of Judah is conquered, and Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian King, takes more than the nation's treasures. He takes its people. Not all of them, just some—the best. He takes them and immerses them in the culture of Babylon, teaching them its language and literature. Why? So they would forget the customs and culture from where they came and assimilate to their new surroundings, which would mean forgetting their God and opposing His ways. But one of those exiles resolved to be different. Daniel decided he would not compromise. He would not conform. He would remain a man of conviction and faith. Here and now, we are living in a Babylon of our own. How can we live in this world but not be of this world? How can we live like Daniel?
Message by Pr. Mike Van Rees
Scripture referenced: Daniel 1
Daniel: Hope in/for a Hostile World - To fully understand what God is telling us in the book of Daniel, we need to understand Babylon and that begins in Genesis 11. One world language allowed engineers to engineer and builders to build. It allowed for the creation of an architectural feat—the tower of Babel. And it allowed for something harrowing. Those involved were working and achieving and living to create an identity and something on which to base their worth other than God. Sound familiar?
A Message from Julie Wiemann - Even the smallest, seemingly innocent crack can ruin a foundation and cause what was built to crumble. No one is immune to or exempt from trials in this life. Life is hard. Life is painful. And we crack. But as we deal with the cracks, our foundation is repaired, and our faith remains sure—it won't be reduced to rubble. As we apply what Jesus teaches us and live as He instructs, we remain firm and secure.
Minor Prophets: Joel - The book of Joel isn’t as it seems, at least not how the first four verses read. Yes, the wages of sin are still death—and not just physical death, but death of integrity, character, trust, relationship, even preferred future. Sin has consequence, yes. Yet sometimes God allows those consequences to get our attention. He uses them to change things and to change us so He can use us for His good and His glory.
Minor Prophets: Haggai - The issue in Haggai isn't one of wealth or the misuse of it. It's not about time or how it Is spent. It's not about trying harder or doing more. It's a heart issue. God is teaching the Israelites that their priorities should be based on what they treasure most, which should be God and their relationship with Him. Just like them, we should be so captivated by God's love and provision that we want to obey Him and serve Him—that we want to love Him back and bless others.
Minor Prophets: Zechariah - Just like the Israelites, we are called to shine. And just like them, we are surrounded by darkness. We live in a culture that more often than not advocates the opposite of what Jesus taught. Culture says love things; Jesus says love people. Culture says seek happiness; Jesus says seek holiness. Culture says indulge yourself; Jesus says deny yourself. Culture says consume; Jesus says give. Culture says if you want to find yourself, get high, drunk, or get more; Jesus says lose yourself, give yourself away, find yourself in Him. It's possible. This vision of Zechariah tells us how.
Encounter Sunday: Mike's Story - Through Mike's story, the value of community is apparent. For him, it's meant sustained recovery—a brotherhood who supports him, makes sure he's on the right path and that he's going in the right direction.
Encounter Sunday: An interview with Kayla Routson - Our Encounter interview with Kayla Routson shares what it is like to do life in community—where church is home. At The Ridge, she found where she belongs.
Encounter Sunday: A Message from Will Herron - The Christian walk was never mean to be a solo experience. The Bible has a lot to say on this, and it is clear: God made us to be in community—to worship together, to study together, and to share life with one another. Don't stay within the confines of church as a weekly event. It was never meant to be that way.
Minor Prophets: Nahum - Our culture says it's OK to do what we want to do as long as we don’t hurt anyone. The Bible says otherwise. The book of Nahum teaches us that sin is real, that it causes real pain and that it will not go unpunished. Through the Bible, God invites us out of the hurt and pain of sin. He wants us to trust that His way is good.
A Message from Doug Applegate: Christian worship songs are full of verses proclaiming that Jesus is greater, stronger and more powerful than anyone or anything else in existence. But is this true? And if so, what does it mean to our lives? Jesus’s greatness is one of the central messages of the book of Hebrews, which Doug Applegate digs into in this sermon.
Minor Prophets: Micah - The Israelites were the people of God, but they weren't really living like it. They had been blessed by God, but they didn't seem to understand why he had bothered to bless them. Micah teaches us that we’ve not only been saved from something but that we've also been saved for something. To this day, God continues his work of restoring, healing and blessing, and He invites us to join Him in this work.
Minor Prophets: Zephaniah - If Jesus returned tomorrow, what would that mean for you? The prophet Zephaniah referred to Jesus' return as "the Day of the Lord," and he tells us that there are only two possible fates for us when that day comes. It will be both a day of judgment and a day of salvation. Which will you experience? Depends on what you do with Jesus. If you have accepted him as your lord and savior, the Day of the Lord is a day to look forward to indeed.
The people in the Old Testament only heard God's voice when a prophet delivered it. That all changed when Jesus came and God spoke to his followers directly through His Spirit. Now, through scripture and the Holy Spirit, we can hear God speak. The question is, are we listening?
God often has us wait. We don’t like that, but it can be good for us. It reminds us that he is the leader and we are the followers. God's plans may not come when or how we want them to, but we know his ways are higher and better.
Joey Weber, Youth Director, teaches on this familiar passage. We need Jesus to have peace and freedom in our lives.
Minor Prophets: Obadiah - Did you know there's no such thing as an innocent bystander in God's eyes. Obadiah teaches us that God didn't create us merely to observe the problems of the world but rather to engage with them. When Edom's neighbor Isarael was raided and pillaged by a foreign power, Edom didn't join in — and that's where it went wrong. God calls us to a life of service, a life of purpose. And in that life, there's no room for apathy.
Will Herron, director discipleship, shares with us that worship is a response to God, a way to reorient ourselves to Him, and a place of renewal.
God accused the people of giving less than their best. Our actions can hurt God or give him great delight.
What’s normal for a follower of Jesus? Normal is not the lifestyle of our peers. Normal for people who have been saved and in relationship with God through Jesus should be full devotion to Jesus.
Pastor Mike teaches us about God's unconditional love from the story of Hosea and Gomer.
Pastor Mike introduces the new series on the minor prophets and the God who pursues us.
Julie Wiemann teaches about Haggai's message to the Israelites. Stop making excuses and look at the consequences of your disobedience.
In this passage we take a look at the end of Paul's first missionary journey. He didn't just head home when he got to the end of the route; he went back and visited all the places he'd been. His mission wasn't just conversion, it was discipleship.
Paul was filled with joy but faced many hardships in his life. Where did that joy come from? From serving, helping, and blessing others.