Grace Point Church - Topeka: Recent Episodes
Grace Point Church
This podcast features the teachings from our weekend worship services. They are practical and gospel-centered, meant to encourage you to come to know Christ and follow him.
If you would like to know more about Grace Point, you can visit our website at gracepointtopeka.org.
Give.Serve.Love.If we’re honest, many of us tend to serve either to please others or to prove something to ourselves. Throw in some religious guilt, a few sad pictures, and a little arm twisting, you’ve got a recipe for some short-term servanthood. But if we are going to serve for the long haul, without insecurity or arrogance, we first need to understand our identity and our purpose.
Give.Serve.Love.: GiveJesus followers should be the most generous people on the planet when we understand God’s generosity toward us. Once again, we’re going to be encouraged to be extravagantly generous and show our community that our faith is more than just sermons and songs. Bottom Line: God’s extravagant generosity toward us compels us to be extravagantly generous toward others.
Made for More: The Shared TablesWhat began as a simple way to bless their community grew to be so much more. Ryan and Cindy Neill saw a hunger for relationship in their community and it inspired them to start something. What began as a prayerful hope to bring a small group of people together, outgrew the space in their home, and now meets in a local gymnasium. The Shared Tables is all about sharing a meal and the love of Jesus with anybody and everybody.
Made for More: The BridgeThe Bridge exists to empower Topeka children to become servant leaders through long-term mentoring relationships. Through their programs—Lunch Buddies and Life Buddies—they desire to connect kids with mentors during elementary school that then follow them through high school graduation.
Made for More: Trash Mountain ProjectTrash Mountain Project exists to develop Christ-centered environments for children and families living in trash dump communities. Since 2009, TMP has worked internationally in developing countries to partner with local churches, individuals, and organizations to bring sustainable change in communities that surround or depend on landfills by providing nutrition, discipleship, education, and more. They have partnerships in 12 communities, across 5 countries, and have visited more than 56 trash dumps worldwide.
Made for More: Topeka Rescue MissionSince 1953, Topeka Rescue Mission has been a beacon of hope in the Topeka and NE Kansas communities to those experiencing homelessness, hunger, poverty and many forms of trauma. In 70 years of service they have grown from a small facility with basic services and just a few beds, to a multi-facility organization that provides shelter, food services, housing opportunities, human trafficking and trauma interventions, rehabilitation, and education for thousands of people in need every year.
Talking Points: Part 4 - Dear POTUSIf you had the opportunity to write a letter to our next President and you knew it would show up on their desk in the Oval Office what would you say? What advice would you offer? What changes would you suggest? What if God were to write a letter to our next president? What do you think He would say?Study Guide
Talking Points - Part 3: Uncomfortable CitizensOur political views are shaped by a number of variables: our backgrounds, education, and personal experiences to name a few. All of those things combine to create our citizenship, our place of being. But if our primary allegiance is to God’s kingdom rather than an earthly political system, how are we supposed to live here and now? Through Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we’ll learn how we’re called to prioritize the progress of the gospel and the practice of love.
Words MatterDiscover the transformative power of words in this week's message from Pastor Craig Congdon, inspired by Proverbs 12:18. Reckless words can cause unseen, internal damage, much like the thrust of a sword, leaving lasting scars. However, wise words have the power to bring healing and mend those wounds. This message challenges us to speak intentionally and uplift those around us, reflecting the love and compassion of Christ.STUDY GUIDE
Talking Points - Part 2: One is the WinThere’s one thing Jesus prayed for us, one thing he went before his father and asked for. It wasn’t uniformity in political views, it was unity in mission. The unity Jesus prayed for can serve as a powerful witness to the world around us. In part two, we’ll be challenged to prioritize the people around us over our political differences. We’ll talk about practical strategies for maintaining and even mending relationships as we pursue unity inside the church.
Talking Points - Part 1: THE KingdomThere is a kingdom far greater and longer lasting than America. That’s kind of hard for some of us to hear but it’s true. Jesus in king, but his kingdom is a different type of kingdom. But, since Jesus is king, Jesus is king over our politics. In part one, we’ll be challenged to submit to Jesus as king over our politics and find our primary citizenship in Jesus’ kingdom.
Rooted Commissioning ServiceIn this all-church gathering Grace Point commissioned Pastor Marc Giffin and launch team for the planting of Rooted Community Church.
Helping the Next Gen Win: Part 3- Label MakerWe all wear labels. Many of the labels we wear were placed on us by others—parents, siblings, friends, teachers, coaches, or coworkers. But what if we’re carrying around the wrong labels? Who has the right to label you? Who are you going to allow to label you? Who knows best how to label you? Labels create expectations and expectations influence the direction of our lives.
Helping the Next Gen Win: Part 2 - Information vs. InterpretationThis generation is the first that doesn’t need adults for information. They can google it or ask Siri and have the answer in a matter of seconds. But they do need adults for interpretation. Just because they have the information doesn’t know they know how to apply it wisely. What can we do to help the next generation see the world in a way that sets them up for success? That’s what we’ll explore in part 2.
Helping the Next Gen Win: What's the Win?The Greatest Generation. Baby Boomers. Generation X. Millennials. Generation Z. Each generation is distinct from those that came before and those that come after. They have different priorities and different experiences. They see the world differently. It’s easy for the generations to live in conflict and competition. But what is our responsibility to the generations that come after us?STUDY GUIDE
Jonah: Part 4When God works in the lives of others, how do we respond? The book of Jonah ends with an angry prophet and so many questions unanswered. But we know that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.”
Jonah: Part 3Have you ever received unwarranted mercy that changed your life? That's what happened in Ninevah.
Jonah: Part 2When faced with incredible darkness how do we respond? Does God's love toward us depend on our response to discipline? Or is God relentless about rebellious sinners? We'll look at Jonah's prayer from the belly of the whale to find out.
Jonah: Part 1In the first part of this series, Pastor Jim Walden shares the five things that happen when we run from God’s call in our lives, and he shares a personal story of his own Jonah moment.
Forgotten God: The Gifts (part 2)One of the most controversial (and divisive) topics in the church today is the issue of the miraculous gifts—primarily speaking in tongues. There is both the error of embracing more than the Bible says but also the error of not embracing as much as the Bible says. Following the Spirit and offering yourself to be used for the good of the church is always the goal.
Forgotten God: The Gifts (part 1)Over and over again we read of Jesus praying, healing, and performing other miracles. He didn’t have the power in and of himself to do those things, he was accessing the power of the Holy Spirit. Followers of Jesus have access to that same power through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His gifts and their use in the church is what we’ll explore in part 4.
Forgotten God: Part 3 - How?We know who he is and what he does but how are we supposed to relate to the Holy Spirit daily? What does it even look like to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit? In part three, we’ll identify four ways the Holy Spirit acts as our advocate. As we make the daily decision to walk by the Spirit we’ll find the comfort, truth, guidance, and encouragement we need.
Forgotten God: Part 2 - What?Defining who the Holy Spirit is difficult enough, but what about his purpose in this world and our lives? Is he a good luck charm? A magic 8-ball for all of life's difficult decisions? A get-out-of-jail-free card? Or is his purpose in our lives something altogether greater? In part two, we’ll define what the role of the Holy Spirit is in our lives. He has many functions, roles, and activities—some of them mysterious—but all of them meant to produce in us one thing.
Forgotten God: Who?The Holy Spirit was given as a gift to the church and ironically has been one of the most divisive issues throughout church history? What, or who, is the Holy Spirit? Is it an unexplainable encounter, an emotionally driven experience, or a supernatural force? Like many people throughout history, you might find the Holy Spirit to be a bit of a mystery. However, the Bible is clear—the Spirit is the source of power in your life. But many Jesus followers don’t live that way. So where do we start?
Don't Waste Your InfluenceWhat does it take to be an influencer today? Is it the number of followers you have on social media? Is it the number of viral videos you make? Is it selling a product or a company to your friends? No, each one of us is an influence. You’ll never know the difference one conversation, one word of encouragement, or one expression of love can make in someone else’s life. How are you using your influence?
Endless LoveAnybody can fall in love. The only requirement two people need for that is a pulse. But staying in love takes more than that. Everybody wants a life-long kind of love, it’s why movies end the way they do, it’s why we celebrate and esteem couples that have been married for 40, 50, or 60 years. But how does it actually happen?
Endless LoveEvery relationship eventually moves past the honeymoon stage into…well, reality. When that happens there are multiple threats that can potentially kill the relationship. In the last two chapters of Song of Solomon, we learn how to have a love that lasts the ages.
Love Will Keep Us TogetherGod designed sex to work best inside of a life-long, covenantal relationship between a man and a woman. So sex works best when a man and a woman learn to love, honor, and cherish each other beginning the day of their marriage and lasting until death. We’ll take a look at King Solomon’s wedding day (and night!) for some insight into how that works. STUDY GUIDE
Love Songs: You're the One That I WantOne of the most poignant moments in the marriage ceremony is when the doors at the back of the church open and the bride is escorted down the aisle by her father. It’s a moment that can make even the manliest men tear up. There’s a special bond between a parent and their child. They want the best for them. That same thing can be said about our Heavenly Father’s love for us. The way he expresses that love is oftentimes through our spouse.STUDY GUIDE
Love Songs: How Deep is Your LoveThe Song of Songs offers strikingly candid—and timeless—insights on romance, dating, marriage, and sex. A sorely needed conversation in a world where sexuality rises and falls with a single glance, touch, kiss, or word. We’ll dive into this collection of writings, smack dab in the middle of the Bible, that addresses all of those things and more.STUDY GUIDE
All In: Take A SeatSome of the biggest moments in our lives happen when we’re sitting down. We learned our ABC’s sitting down, found out you were going to be a mom sitting down, drove to pick up your prom date sitting down, and most of us decided to follow Jesus while we were sitting down. It’s pretty amazing when you think about how many exciting things in life happen while we’re sitting down. Let’s continue to do everything we can to help more people find a seat and find Jesus. STUDY GUIDE
All In: Part 1 - Pioneer, Settler or Squatter?It’s amazing what can happen when a group of people decide to work together, combining their gifts, abilities, and resources for the good of each other and the community around them. Amazing, unimaginable things can happen. When you add God’s power at work within us, as individuals and as a community, God is glorified in the church throughout the generations.
Let's Talk: Jesus And...YouJesus was dead. The upstart rabbi from Galilee was humiliated and crucified publicly on Friday. But something completely unexpected happened Sunday morning. Varied opinions exist today about who Jesus was and what he came to do. The resurrection proves Jesus was who he said—the Son of God sent to save the world. We’ll look at the resurrection from the perspective of two of his original followers and learn from their responses. Whether we already believe Jesus was resurrected, yet to believe, or have some doubts—we’ll see that the resurrection was for you.
Let's Talk: Jesus And...The Widow's Second FuneralShe’d already lost her husband and now her only son is dead. No husband to care for her and no son to meet her future needs. She’s in an unbearable space. Jesus sees and feels the heaviness of this funeral procession and has compassion for the woman. This story tells us so much about Jesus. We learn how deeply he cares for those in life-altering, desperate situations. His nature and heart move toward the difficult spaces in our life. We also see Jesus’s work as a restorer, his true identity as God, and our role as the community of believers. STUDY GUIDE
Let's Talk: Jesus And... The Other NineJesus encounters a group of 10 men with leprosy. They were considered unclean and forced to separate themselves from everyone, including their families. Jesus heals all of them but only one thanks him and praises God for his healing. This short encounter teaches us a lot about Jesus and ourselves; how God views outsiders, how he meets us as we pursue him, and the difference between thanksgiving and gratitude. STUDY GUIDE
Let's Talk: Jesus And...Two Desperate PeopleWord of the healer’s arrival spreads quickly and a crowd gathers. Among the crowd are two individuals who are in need of Jesus healing power. One needs Jesus to hurry, the other would like him to slow down. Two individuals, two unique experiences, two healings. Jesus only does custom work which means when he doesn’t do for us what he did for “them” that doesn’t mean he doesn’t care, it’s an opportunity to trust him. STUDY GUIDE
If Only You Were Normal Like Me - Part 4: Spiritual TrainingPhysical training is a lot easier when you’re a spectator. But sitting on the sidelines guarantees you won’t win anything. In today’s passage, Paul uses athletic metaphors—images with which the people of Corinth were very familiar—to illustrate the commitment and intensity Jesus followers must put into spiritual training if they’re going to set aside their freedoms for the sake of those around them.STUDY GUIDE
If Only You Were Normal Like Me - Part 3: What are My Rights?Paul asks the church in Corinth to set aside their rights in order to honor their fellow Jesus-followers. To practice what he preached, he was willing to set aside his own rights for the benefit of others when he first arrived in Corinth. He teaches them a relational principle that goes against almost everything we’re taught as American’s: my rights end when another Jesus-follower is offended. STUDY GUIDE
If Only You Were Normal Like Me - Part 2: To Eat Or Not To EatIt sounds weird to our ears but Paul had to spend considerable time teaching whether a devoted follower of Jesus shout eat meat from animals that had been sacrificed to false gods. This was no small deal, it could have ended the Jesus movement in Corinth before it even started. Instead of making a judgment on who is right and who is wrong, he trains them how to express love when opinions strongly differ. It’s a lesson we need to continue learning today. Study Guide
If Only You Were Normal Like Me - Part 1: This is CorinthGetting the Jesus movement up and going in Corinth was an absolute mess. So many different kinds of people, from different backgrounds, with different religions and philosophical ideas. In the weeks to come, we’ll focus on the letter Paul wrote to the church there but this week we’ll set the foundation for all that. Acts 18 tells the story of Paul’s first visit to the city and as we read we get a better idea of the characters, culture, and challenges Paul faced during his time of ministry there.STUDY GUIDE
TogetherPastor Marc reminds us that we were created to be in community with one another. Loneliness is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and it's an epidemic in the United States. God knows our name and He desires that we know Him and His body.
Multiply - Part 4: Praying & Dreaming BigAbraham prayed a really big prayer on behalf of a really evil city. You could make the case that his prayer pushed the envelope with God. Why don’t we do the same? Isn’t that the kind of prayers we should be praying? God loves when we ask big prayers, like the salvation of Sodom, on Jesus’ behalf, because in asking big we honor the size of God’s grace demonstrated in Jesus’ sacrifice. (This series was based on a series of the same title by JD Greear)STUDY GUIDE
Multiply - Part 3: Priority #1Abraham and Lot took two different approaches to their treasure. Lot thought of himself as an owner, Abraham thought of himself as a steward. Lot thought of himself first, Abraham thought of others first. Lot thought of himself as a reservoir, Abraham thought of himself as a river. Paul says that God will enrich us in every way so we can be generous in every way. The question that begs to be asked is: how has God enriched you? (This series was based on a series of the same title by JD Greear)STUDY GUIDE
Multiply - Part 2: Trust MeWe’re looking at the life of one of the most important figures in human history, Abraham, to see how God multiplied his life for eternal significance, and more importantly the path God led him down to accomplish that. It was a path of sacrifice, risk, testing, and commitment. It’s really not that different than the path we will have to take if we want our lives to multiply for eternal significance. It can all be summarized in one word: trust.(This series was based on a series of the same title by JD Greear)STUDY GUIDE
Multiply Part 1: The Journey Starts HereYou and I are part of the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. The promise was that kings, nations, and the whole world would be blessed through this one man’s family. However, the last piece of the promise is the most important: the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, who has blessed all of humanity. Jesus made a way for all of humanity to be counted among God’s righteous children. In Matthew 28 Jesus gave us the new way for multiplication: discipling others to follow him. That is the Church’s way of being fruitful and multiplying as we bless all nations with the gospel.(This series was based on a series of the same title by JD Greear)STUDY GUIDE
Carols - Part 4: Hark the Herald Angels Sing“Hark” is a really old word we don’t use much anymore but it simply means “listen”. Charles Wesley, the author of this carol, puts this word in the mouth of a shepherd, telling us to pay attention to something he’s afraid we’ll miss. The shepherds certainly didn’t miss the message that first Christmas night, how could they? We don’t have a celestial choir appearing to us in the middle of the night but let’s make sure we don’t miss the message and meaning of Christmas.Study Guide
Carols: Part 3 - O Come, O Come EmmanuelThis is the oldest carol we sing today, dating all the way back to 800 AD. We don’t know who wrote it but was more than likely a priest or monk. It is theologically rich in explaining the story of Jesus’ first coming, longing for his second, and in the meantime, taking comfort in the fact that he’s with us. This is part of the good news we celebrate and share with others at Christmas.
Carols - Part 2: Go Tell it on the MountainWe don’t know exactly who wrote this carol, or even when it was written. We do know it was a slave song, most likely composed in the south sometime between 1840-1860. The lyrics connect the Christmas story to the Great Commission and gives us glimpse into our marching orders as followers of Jesus today.STUDY GUIDE
Carols: Part 1 - Joy to the WorldIt was written over 300 years ago but today is one of the most popular Christmas carols—inside and outside the church. So popular around the world that it’s been translated into dozens of languages. Isaac Watts based Joy To The World on Psalm 98. What did he see in this psalm, in this world, that made him think Jesus’ coming brought joy to the world? Study Guide
Give.Serve.Love - Part 3: LoveWe all assume that we can behave and confess our way into a barrier-free relationship with God. If we sin against someone, we can just pray for God’s forgiveness and we’ll be back in his good graces. But what if God wants more from us than vertical morality? What if he cares about our horizontal relationships?Study Guide
Give.Serve.Love - Part 2: ServeGod wants us to do what he would do if he were us. We don't have to imagine what that might be. We can take our cues from Jesus. He used his power and position for the powerless and the position-less. This is about doing for others corporately, what we all have the opportunity to do individually. When we do, our community sees the church doing good.
Give.Serve.Love - Part 1: GiveAnger is an emotion we try to get rid of or to manage. That’s because we usually get angry about trivial things like not getting our way. But did you know Jesus got angry too? His anger was different, though. It was about something more significant than his wounded pride.
Tuning InWhen the world around us is loud, and the storms raging around us are deafening, who are we tuning into? In this week's sermon, Pastor Marc Giffin takes us through the story of Jesus walking on water.
Daniel: Shining in Babylon - Part 6: The Den of LionsDaniel faced a great deal of adversity throughout his life but none more than when he faced a den of hungry lions. From our perspective, it seems like he turned on the courage when he needed it, like a light switch. But the more you study his entire life it reveals a much deeper courage. It looks different for us but the principle is the same. Whether our relationships get better, God provides healing, provision comes through at the last second - or not - we can develop courage all throughout our life by trusting God all throughout the adversity.
Daniel: Shining in Babylon - Part 5: The Writing is on the Wall40 years have passed since the events that humbled King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4 and a new leader has emerged - King Belshazzar. The Babylonian empire sits on the brink of disaster with an invading army at their doorstep. But rather than seeking God's help, Belshazzar throws a wild party that dishonors God and destroys himself and the kingdom. The story reveals how God takes his honor seriously, how we should honor God, and what happens when we don't.
Daniel: Shining in Babylon - Part 4: The HumblingThe story of Daniel 4 plays out in world history over and over. It’s a story about success and pride. As Nebuchadnezzar surveys his empire, he believes his greatness created it until God reminds him who gave him the kingdom. No one has to teach us to be proud; it’s something we come by naturally. But it doesn’t have to be a permanent problem. We can overcome it but it requires us to lift our heads to the one above it all and humble ourselves before him.
Daniel: Shining in Babylon: Part 3 - The FurnaceShadrach, Meshach and Abednego have to make a tough decision. They're living in exile because their own people had bowed down to idols for four generations. And now, upon threat of death, King Nebuchadnezzar orders them to bow and worship a giant golden statue. Their decision gives us a real-life example of faithfulness that costs something. This week, we look at the allegiance of these men to God and how important their example is to anchor our faith in God alone.
Part 2: Dream OnKing Neb wakes from a fitful night's sleep having experienced a dream that has left him rattled. Believing dreams are a way the gods communicate, King Neb asks the wise men to tell him the meaning of the dream. But he also wants them to tell him what he dreamed. Fearful and stunned the wise men tell the king no one on earth can do what he asks. It turns out they were right - Only God can.
Daniel: Shining In Babylon - Part 1: Welcome To The Program
We kick off our journey with the first chapter in the book of Daniel where we come face to face with the reality that God moves in, around, and through difficult circumstances. Even when it looked like the God of Israel had been put out of business, and his people would never recover, he was still at work. We’re challenged to trust God when things are hard and honor others when drawing a line as citizens in two kingdoms.
How Do People Grow?: Part 5 - The Intersection“Unapplied truth is like paint. It doesn’t do anybody any good until it is applied.” We can be the most learned of believers, but if our knowledge doesn’t move us toward application, then our faith will wither. The Bible challenges us to respond to God’s truth in many different ways: love your enemies, show forgiveness, and practice generosity. It’s one thing to believe and enjoy practical teaching. But gaining knowledge is not enough to grow our faith —applying it is.STUDY GUIDE
How Do People Grow?: Part 4 - Surprise! Life is full of surprises - some good, some not so good. But each unexpected event that comes our way is actually a divine opportunity. Oftentimes, what shapes our response to these surprises is the support and community we have around us. It is “our tribe” that helps us frame what’s happening in a way for us to see that God is not doing something to us but is doing something in us and through us.STUDY GUIDE
How Do People Grow?: Part 3 - Jesus' Easy Yoke
The notion of a discipline being essential to an authentic, heartfelt relationship may seem strange. After all, discipline is about routine; a relationship is fluid. But if you think about it, every healthy relationship is held together partly by disciplined actions and routines. Our relationship with God shares a similar dynamic. Abandoning these practices leaves God at the periphery of our lives. Regularly practicing these disciplines, however, draw us into a closer, more intimate, more dependent relationship with him.STUDY GUIDE
How Do People Grow?: Part 2 - Walking WiselyIt’s nearly impossible to tell your life story without referencing people who played significant roles along the way. The same is true of your faith. We don’t live in a vacuum. The Bible makes it clear that certain relationships are pivotal in our spiritual development, while others can lead us in directions we never intended to go. In the second part of How Do People Grow?, we’ll explore the role relationships play in the growth of our faith.STUDY GUIDE
How Do People Grow?: Part 1 - It All Begins Here
Sermons come in all shapes and sizes. But if you listen closely, you’ll hear God saying the same thing in most sermons—trust me. That’s not to say that the message in the Bible is shallow and simplistic. Rather, in all the ways that you could respond to God, the most important thing that God is asking you to do is to trust him. When things are going well, it doesn’t require a lot of faith to trust God. But when life turns messy, is your faith leading you to depend on God, or do you put your trust in something else?STUDY GUIDE
Follow. Believe. Obey.: Part 3 - Obey
The church often mistakes obedience as the first step in the Christian life. As a result, for many people, Christianity becomes a rules-based religion. But Scripture reveals that obedience comes because a relationship has already been established. Jesus invites us to follow him until we begin believing He is indeed who he says he is, and that belief becomes the reason we obey.STUDY GUIDE
Follow. Believe. Obey.: Part 2 - Believe
Jesus' initial invitation to his disciples was a simple one: follow me. He invited them to watch, listen, and learn from his interactions with the Father and other people. In time, those who followed him began to discover God's character through those interactions. In that discovery, they found themselves drawn to take a second step.
Follow. Believe. Obey.: Part 1 - Follow
There is a common misconception that the church is a gathering place for saintly, perfect people. Moreover, some think that being a Christian means observing a set of rules or commandments. The reality is that the Christian life is about a relationship with Jesus Christ. At the beginning of that relationship is an invitation that Jesus extends to people from all experiences of life: "Follow me.
77 Times: Part 3 - Moving Past Your Past
You’ve accepted the fact that Jesus has forgiven you. You’ve even made progress on forgiving other people. But what about forgiving yourself? If you’re unable to forgive yourself you need to take a fresh look at the cross where we learn that guilt and shame are not from God. In part three we’ll explore what it looks like to forgive ourselves.
77 Times: Part 2 - Even Is Never Even
Batman and Joker. The Hatfield’s and McCoy’s. Samson and the Philistines. The feud goes back and forth, trying to get even but ironically—even is never even. Pain begets pain, and not just for those directly involved, but the people surrounding the battle. What needs to happen? It has to do with surrendering our right to get even.
77 Times: Part 1 - The Idol of Unforgiveness
Whenever we are hurt, offended, or wounded our emotional reaction is to feel as if someone owes us something. If we hold onto that, building a case against our offender, we begin a self-destructive pattern. We know God has asked us to forgive but knowing it and doing it are two different things. In part one, we’ll see that God has asked His children to bear a family resemblance.
The [far from] Perfect Family: Part 6 Family Reunion
He started out the son of a shepherd in Canaan. He ended up as second in command in Egypt. That journey was marked by pain, betrayal and loneliness. Sold by his brothers into slavery, wrongfully imprisoned in Egypt and forgotten for dead, Joseph had every opportunity to view himself as a victim. Instead, he acknowledges God’s sovereignty over his life. He saw God working in, through and around his terrible situations. In the moment, the pain of a situation can be debilitating. A cancer diagnosis, job loss or a wayward child are extremely painful seasons. God doesn’t cause our pain, but he is powerful enough to work through it.
The [far from] Perfect Family: Part 5 - Surviving When Stuck
This week, the spotlight is entirely on Abraham’s great-grandson, Joseph. He never could have imagined that he’d be hundreds of miles from home, serving as an Egyptian slave. During long and sleepless nights in this undesirable situation, Joseph surely asked, “How am I going to survive?” Maybe you’ve asked that question too. Maybe you asked it at the end of a long, bitter divorce you never wanted. Or when you found out you’d never have children of your own. Or through the crushing loneliness of not being able to find a spouse. During long and sleepless nights, maybe you too have asked, “How am I going to survive?”STUDY GUIDE
The {far from} Perfect Family Part 4: Sibling RivalryWhat an awful family! Could anything good possibly come from their lying, deceiving, bickering and willful cruelty? The answer is actually “Yes!” All this awfulness is part of a good story that God is working in, around and through these people. Eventually, the sons of Jacob become the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. From one of these tribes comes Jesus. The promise God made to Abraham that the world would be blessed through his descendants is fulfilled through this awful mess—and God gets all the glory! STUDY GUIDE
The {far from} Perfect Family: Part 4 - Sibling RivalryWhat an awful family! Could anything good possibly come from their lying, deceiving, bickering and willful cruelty? The answer is actually “Yes!” All this awfulness is part of a good story that God is working in, around and through these people. Eventually, the sons of Jacob become the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. From one of these tribes comes Jesus. The promise God made to Abraham that the world would be blessed through his descendants is fulfilled through this awful mess—and God gets all the glory!
The [far from] Perfect Family: Part 3 - The EncounterHe stole his brother’s blessing but was cheated by his uncle and now finds himself in between two family members. If he returns home, he has to deal with his brother; if he stays, he has to deal with his uncle. This family conflict brings Jacob face-to-face with who he is and whether he trusts God. It’s a place we’ll eventually find ourselves too. Whether we cause the conflict or it’s thrust upon us, we can learn to trust God in the midst of it.
The [far from] Perfect Family: Part 2 - Chasing ItThis week our story continues with Jacob, the second born of Isaac. As the second-born, Jacob tricks his father Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for his older brother Esau. With Esau angry enough to kill, Jacob flees to Haran where he stays with his uncle and searches for a wife. Much like the rest of the story, Jacob’s search for a wife creates conflict because everyone involved had a strong desire for what we will call IT: anything—other than God—we believe will give us value, success and happiness. We see the same desire for value, success, and happiness in our own family conflict.STUDY GUIDE
The {far from} Perfect Family: Part 1 - Perfectly Flawed“God’s chosen people” begins with a family of deceivers, schemers and eavesdroppers. He decided that all people on earth will be blessed through them. It’s almost as if he couldn’t have picked a more undeserving group through whom to save the world, almost as if he wanted to convince us he’s in the business of using radically flawed people to accomplish his plan. “Radically flawed” probably describes all our families at one time or another. Maybe that time for your family is right now. If so, take heart in knowing that God’s plan is bigger than the perfection of your family. STUDY GUIDE
The Oikos PrincipleThe world is much smaller than you realize. Who are the 8-15 people the LORD has strategically and purposefully put into your life to share with and minister to?
Choose To Lose: Part 3 - Lose For JoyThe gospel of Luke records that Jesus sent seventy-two of his followers out into the world to minister to others. Jesus had poured into them, and now he expected them to pour into others. He was about to launch a worldwide movement, and sending out his followers was a way of establishing a model. This was how the church would grow. Jesus has invited you the way he invited the seventy-two. You can’t follow him as a spectator. You have to participate. You have to get involved.
Choose To Lose: Part 2 - Connecting The DotsWe all hate to lose. But winning something significant always involves losing something less significant. You owe it to yourself to understand what you’re going to lose based on your choices, because if you choose to lose, it opens the door to remarkable things in following Jesus.STUDY GUIDE
Choose to Lose: Part 1 - The Moment of ChoiceFollowing Jesus can feel like losing. Maybe there are people you’ve decided you won’t date because you’re following Jesus. Maybe someone else got the promotion you wanted because you prioritized following Jesus over spending long hours in the office. Maybe you worry that other people’s kids will get ahead of your kids because following Jesus means prioritizing family relationships over involvement in lots of sports and activities. Jesus warned us we’d experience these feelings of loss. But he also said that we only find life when we choose to lose and follow him. What will you choose?STUDY GUIDE
Let's Talk: The Problem Of God - Part 6: The Problem Of The ResurrectionDid Jesus rise on the third day? Like many people, maybe you wonder whether that part of the Jesus story is just a myth. After all, doesn’t resurrection also appear in numerous other ancient religions and mythologies? Sure… maybe Jesus was a good teacher, but how on earth can you believe that someone who dies is actually alive again? The evidence might be stronger than you think.
Let's Talk: The Problem Of God: Part 5 - The Problem Of Pain & SufferingHow can a good God allow evil in the world? It’s the issue millions of people have wondered about: If God is good and all-powerful, why is there suffering? Every world religion and worldview (including atheism and agnosticism) has to answer that question. Christianity has a different kind of answer that most people who ask this question miss.
Let's Talk: The Problem Of God - Part 4: The Problem of the BibleWhy would anyone living today trust the Bible? After all, it’s so full of terrible instances of violence and oppression that it has to be both barbaric and outdated. Besides, you can’t really rely on a document that’s over 2000 years old. It’s been translated so often there’s very little likelihood that what we’re reading is what was originally written… right?
Let's Talk: The Problem of God - Part 3: The Problem of HypocrisyWhy are Christians such hypocrites? From the Christian down the road who never practices what he preaches, to witch hunts, to the crusades, what is the deal with Christians who look nothing like Jesus? Hypocrisy of Christians is one of the top problems people have with God. So… let’s go there.
Let's Talk: The Problem Of God - Part 2: The Problem of ScienceDoes science disprove religion? So many people believe there’s an irreconcilable tension between science and Christianity. If you become a Christian, you can’t embrace science. If you embrace science, you can’t have faith. What if faith and reason aren’t enemies but friends?
Let's Talk: Part 1 - The Problem Of GodHow do we know there is God? Does God exist? Maybe you think that to believe in God requires a giant leap of faith. And maybe you think that essentially, there’s zero evidence for God’s existence apart from the Bible. Is that true? Is there any evidence for God outside of scripture or blind belief? We’ll explore those questions in part one of The Problem of God.
Different: Part 3 - Jesus Among The GodsThere are typically two reasons why people avoid religion today. One reason is pluralism. Pluralism looks at the world’s religions and says, “All religions teach essentially the same thing.” Pluralism believes that religions substantially agree with each other. The other reason is atheism. It looks at the religions and says, “Religion exists because it meets a psychological need.” In part three, we look at these two common responses to religion and consider what these look like when they are lived out. How is Jesus different? What hope does he offer?STUDY GUIDE
Different: Part 2 - Christ and The CrescentThere are almost 2 billion followers of Islam worldwide—about 25% of the world. Perhaps no religion has generated the headlines or had the opportunity to be misunderstood in the last few decades than Islam. Christianity and Islam are the two largest religions, and there are some critical differences between them. The differences center on the person and message of Jesus. Our understanding of what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross should become clearer and our love for him bigger as we consider these differences.STUDY GUIDE
Different: Part 1 - Hinduism and BuddhismSuffering has been prevalent throughout human history. Many ponder its meaning and seek to overcome it. For many adherents of Eastern faiths, suffering is an illusion or a direct result of a previous life. The problem is us. We’re attached to the things of this world, whether people or luxury. Suffering is a result of that desire or attachment. The more you desire, the more loss you will feel. The way to overcome suffering is to remove all desire and attachment from inside of you. The person is the problem, and effort is the solution. Where’s the good news in that?STUDY GUIDE
Stones of Remembrance: Part 4 - From Stuck To StartedElijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel is one of the most vivid pictures of God’s power in the Old Testament. He used a drought to get Israel’s attention, expose their false gods and move them from spiritually stuck to started again. In the final part of the series, we’ll be encouraged to pinpoint where we may be stuck, how we can return to God, and experience his blessing.
Stones of Remembrance: Part 3 - Ichabod to EbenezerSamuel’s message to Israel serves as the proverbial line in the sand. As oftentimes is the case, chaos is an opportunity to return to God. Remembering how he has worked in the past and then turning towards him in confession and repentance are the ingredients for renewal.
Stone of Deliverance: Part 2 - Decision DayJoshua’s final address to the nation of Israel shows we all have a choice to make about who we will serve. Through his challenge to them, we’re reminded of the same decision before us. In part two, we’ll question if we’re trusting in something other than God or in addition to God, and realize we have a decision to make… today.
Stones of Remembrance: Part 1 - Not Just About MeWe kickoff our series with Jacob’s encounter with God at Bethel. God meets Jacob when he’s lost, alone, and afraid—not simply to bless Jacob, but those who would come after him. In part one, we’re encouraged to remember, if God can use a con man to be a part of his worldwide renewal plan, he can use us too.
Jesus is God in human form. He gave up everything, arriving as a servant.Following his example, how will you think like Jesus thought this Christmas and throughout the year?
Advent Conspiracy: Part 4 - Love AllJesus' birth announcement came not to the influential, but to those on the forgotten fringes of society—shepherds. In the first century, shepherds were at the bottom of the scale of power and privilege. God revealed the miracle of Jesus first to those on the forgotten fringe and then Jesus spent his life loving the insignificant, the outcast, and the poor. Jesus demonstrated his love for all that first Christmas, we can do the same today.STUDY GUIDE
Advent Conspiracy: Part 3 - Give MoreSo, how exactly do you give more while also spending less? Remember, God’s answer for the world’s problems has never been material things. God gave us the ultimate gift at Christmas: His son. It was the most personal and priceless gift anyone could ever give. At the heart of it, God demonstrates for us that giving at Christmas should be all about giving more relationally.
Advent Conspiracy: Part 2 - Spend LessChristmas has become a season of excessive spending and consumption. It dates all the way back to King Herod and his Empire of More—more spending, more power, and more hoarding. Into that ruthless, greedy empire, King Jesus was born to peasant parents. It presented us with a choice that still exists today: will we serve the Empire of More or give our allegiance to a greater, longer-lasting Kingdom?STUDY GUIDE
Worship Fully
Worship is not something that we do on a Sunday. It is a lifestyle that we cultivate and grow. But here’s the tricky thing…worship is something we all do. Our lives all testify to something. Whether or not we are followers of Jesus, we worship something. And for followers of Jesus, if we don’t engage in worship of Him actively, we’ll begin to passively worship the wrong things. If we aren’t actively testifying to God’s worth, we’ll begin to testify to the worth of lesser things.
The Gateway to ContentmentFeelings of joy and contentment may seem fewer and far between these days but they’re much more accessible than we think. If we wait for the feeling to show up in our everyday circumstances, they may never come. But if we change our focus, they start showing at the most unlikely times. The Apostle Paul figured this out and taught the church in Philippi how to be grateful, no matter the season.
In Christ: Part 3 - HonorPaul gives practical and specific instructions on how to live as Jesus followers. Everything he instructed the Ephesians to do lined up with what Jesus modeled and taught: We should honor other people. Everyone has value.STUDY GUIDE
In Christ: Part 2 - UnityNow that we've established WHO we are IN Christ, let's talk about how that should affect the way we live. By showing both grace and mercy, Jesus created the opportunity for unity between God and humankind. As a reflection of that, our call is to demonstrate unity as well.STUDY GUIDE
In Christ: Part 1 - BelongingWe all need a place to belong. Paul had something to say about this to the first-century followers of Jesus at Ephesus. And his message can serve as a reminder to us about what it really means to be a part of God's family.
Mission Revolution
God has a plan for this world to bring glory to His name and each of us has a unique role to play. Dr. Todd Ahrend, a mission mobilizer, shares a vision for taking the Gospel to the world and to your neighbor.
Moral Mayhem: Part 6 - The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
The book of Judges records God’s chosen people doing what they want, when they want, with whom they want. The tragedy was that ancient Israel began with divine intervention and a divine mandate. They were to show the world who God was by being different than the nations around them. But for three hundred years they lived in a cycle of disobedience, disaster, and deliverance. The entire time Israel was ping-ponging back and forth from obedience to disobedience, God was up to something else—he was decorating for Christmas.
Moral Mayhem: Part 4 - Don't Be Samson
Chances are your greatest regret can be traced back to a decision where your body wanted something your heart knew was wrong. An appetite was raging. You saw something or someone you wanted—even though he, she, or it wasn’t healthy for you. But you gave in to your body anyway. You yielded to the little kings that want to replace the Creator King who calls you to live from the inside out. What do you do when your body wants what your heart knows is wrong?
Moral Mayhem: Part 4 - Don't Be Samson
Chances are your greatest regret can be traced back to a decision where your body wanted something your heart knew was wrong. An appetite was raging. You saw something or someone you wanted—even though he, she, or it wasn’t healthy for you. But you gave in to your body anyway. You yielded to the little kings that want to replace the Creator King who calls you to live from the inside out. What do you do when your body wants what your heart knows is wrong?
Moral Mayhem: Part 3 - Looking Around VS Looking Up
You think you want to be like everybody else. But everybody else takes their cues from everybody else. Being like everybody else just makes you average—worried, in debt, bored, and dissatisfied with what you have. If you knew that living like everybody else on the outside would leave you feeling like this on the inside, you would have done what you suspected was right in your heart instead of doing what was right in your own eyes.
Moral Mayhem: Part 2 - Stranger Kings
We don’t want “kings” in our lives, whether those kings are parents, bosses, the government… or God. But in our attempts to do what we want, when we want, with whom we want, we end up serving little kings like appetite, lust, fear, comparison, insecurity, generational dysfunction, addiction, loneliness, and greed. The good news is that when you cry out to God, he is willing to rescue you. But because he knows the power of the little kings, he requires unconditional surrender.
Moral Mayhem: Part 1 - Can't Make This Stuff Up
There’s an unstated part of the American dream. It goes like this: “We have the freedom to do what we want, when we want, with whom we want, and nobody can tell us what to do . . . as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody.” But what if life doesn’t work that way? What if you can’t do what’s right in your own eyes without eventually hurting someone?
Our Sunday Best
Every now and then it’s good to call a timeout, back away from our regularly scheduled programming, and just talk about where we're at as a church, where we’re going, and what that means.
One Another: Part 3 - AcceptIt’s easy to think we have someone figured out based on a few quick data points. But for us to see others the way God sees them, we have to trade in the narratives we create about people and instead get to know them.STUDY GUIDE
One Another: Part 2 - Live In Harmony WithWe have a tendency to carry painful parts of our past with us: resentment against people who’ve hurt us, bitterness for how we were treated, and even hatred against people. The pain we hold on to weighs us down and keeps us from stepping into the freedom that God has for us. The irony of grudges is that the longer we hold on to it, the tighter it holds on to us.STUDY GUIDE
One Another: Part 1- Encourage
Your character, or your interior life, affects your relationships and responsibilities in this life. If your interior is a mess, then the rest of your life is affected negatively. While there are built-in systems to measure how you're doing in your relationships and responsibilities, how do you measure your interior life? Who's walking alongside you to help you pay attention to your character?STUDY GUIDE
Asking For A Friend: Part 6 - Does God Love Me? Does God Have Favorites?How many of you have ever told a lie? Taken something that wasn’t yours? Or perhaps disobeyed an authority like a parent or a teacher or police officer? We all can confess to these, can't we? So, you might wonder, is there hope for me? Does God love me? Does He have favorites? Why do some folks get to walk with God? Is salvation for everyone? Is salvation for you?
Asking For A Friend: Part 5 - Since God Knows Everything, Why Pray?
Every Christian knows they're supposed to pray, but if we're really honest, it feels kinda pointless doesn't it? I mean, God knows everything. Jesus himself tells us that God knows what we need before we ever even ask for it! So what's the point? Isn't it just a waste of time to tell God what He already knows?
Asking For A Friend: Part 4 - Who Would Jesus Cancel?It seems like our culture is growing increasingly frustrated, contentious, and hostile. Social media is always ready to pounce on its next victim. If you are honest, under the pressure of our world, you’ve privately torn down, gossiped about, ghosted, or blamed someone. Culture can tell you it’s okay to hurt someone--even cancel them-- in the name of truth. Jesus has a radically different view of how you can approach your life. A way of living so freely that it’s worth canceling your membership in today’s polarized culture.STUDY GUIDE
Asking For A Friend: Part 3 - Why Am I So Cynical? You never thought you’d be a cynic, did you? Nobody wants to be cynical, but so many people end up there. Why? Cynicism starts not because you don’t care, but because you do. Surprisingly, most cynics are former optimists. We’ll look at how cynicism starts, how to recognize it and how to stop it.STUDY GUIDE
Asking For A Friend: How Can I Ever Forgive Myself?
Why is it so hard to forgive your worst critic...YOU?! Maybe you’ve done something awful to someone you care about and you wish you could undo it. Whether it was on purpose or totally accidental, you just can’t seem to forgive yourself. We’re going to talk about forgiving the person staring back at you in the mirror. It’s time to set them free!STUDY GUIDE
Asking For A Friend: Part 1 - What Is Jesus' Take On Politics?
Some people love talking about politics. Other people hate talking about politics. But pretty much everybody stays away from mixing politics and church. But… why? Both arenas affect our lives in practical ways so why do we stumble over ourselves in church? While we won’t all agree on every political talking point, there’s one thing the church must agree on.STUDY GUIDE
Kaleo: Part 4 - Called to Righteousness, Peace, and Joy Throughout the Bible, we are called to live in unity but that’s been difficult in the past few years with so many controversial subjects. But if this has been harder, maybe it’s supposed to be. Maybe God is using these tensions to teach us how to live as part of His divine plan to unite all people in Christ. So how can we share a community identity without losing our particular heritage? What differences disable and divide us, and which ones should we celebrate?STUDY GUIDE
Kaleo: Part 3: Called To Be GenerousGod is a God of generosity and as his children, we are called to be generous. Too often we allow our culture to define what it means to be generous. So what does generosity look like and how should we practice it in our lives. In Part 3, we’ll discover what Biblical generosity looks like and challenge ourselves to be generous. STUDY GUIDE
Kaleo: Part 2 - Called to Serve
Churches rarely get in trouble because of theological issues. They get in trouble over competing agendas and power grabs. That’s not what Jesus had in mind when he launched his church. In fact, when he prayed for his followers, he prayed that they would be one. It’s what we’re called to. But what does it look like for a church to be one?STUDY GUIDE
Kaleo: Part 1 - Called To Make Disciples
2000 years ago Jesus said He was going to build His church and then He told the disciples to “Go”. That command hasn’t changed. In Part 1, we’ll take a step back and evaluate our own personal involvement in “going".STUDY GUIDE
Life Apps: Part 6 - The Encouragement App
In the typical relationship, for every compliment or encouraging comment, there are six complaints or criticisms. Six to one! That explains why so many work environments are negative and dysfunctional. That explains why so many marriages are in trouble. Can a simple application of encouragement significantly improve the quality of our relationships?
Life Apps: Part 5 - The Rest AppIf you have a body, this week’s life app is for you. But please understand, this app is so overlooked, so underappreciated, that we underestimate the importance of it. When we think of the Bible, we think of spiritual things. That's good. But the body is spiritual. And this one application has a very real, practical spiritual application that applies to everyone, regardless of what we think about it.STUDY GUIDE
Life Apps: Part 4 - The Trust AppThis week’s app is easier for some than it is for others but it’s an absolute necessity for healthy relationships. It’s a must for healthy work relationships, community relationships, and even for a healthy national culture. In every relationship, there are unexplainable gaps between what we expect people to do and what they actually do. We decide what goes in that gap.STUDY GUIDE
Life Apps: Part 3 - The Confession App
The concept of “confession” conjures images of a veiled priest sitting in a confession booth ready to absolve you of your sins. Protestants have it a little easier; they can go directly to God and ask for forgiveness without involving a middleman. Regardless of the religious system, the outcome tends to be the same—a relieved conscience. However, “confession” doesn’t necessarily result in life-change. What happens if “confession” simply provides a license to sin again?
STUDY GUIDE
Life Apps: Part 2 - The Forgiveness App
Holding a grudge is a guilty pleasure. We all love to think about how we would have just the right words to say at just the right time to make our enemies feel small in front of all the right people. But what if holding a grudge is more sinister than we think? What if the grudge is less about the other person and more about us? What if there is a better way to handle these kinds of situations?STUDY GUIDE
Life Apps: Part 1 - Application Is EverythingYour doctor can prescribe you the best medicine. But it does you no good if you don’t take it. You can own the sleekest pair of running shoes. But it does you no good if you don’t exercise. You can gather all the nutritional information regarding the foods you eat. But it does you no good if you don’t adjust your diet. Application makes all the difference.STUDY GUIDE
Brand New: Part 3 - The New Kingdom
If you think Jesus was a great leader and teacher, but find it hard to believe in his resurrection, you’re in good company. Even his disciples were skeptical. But those same followers were the ones who would later become the spokesmen of a new movement: the church. They would maintain faith in the midst of incredible suffering. Many died still claiming that Jesus was their Savior. So what do we make of this defining event—the one that became the foundation of their faith and of ours?
Brand New: Part 2 - The New CommandmentAgainst all odds, a cult following a crucified teacher with no territory, military, or authority survived and multiplied. They were fueled by Jesus’ new command: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” It sounds as countercultural and revolutionary to our ears as it did to Jesus’ disciples when they first heard it. It’s way less complicated than the old covenant, but way more challenging.STUDY GUIDE
Brand New: Part 1 - The New Covenant
The words “unlimited” and “unconditional” make us suspicious. Whether those words describe an insurance policy, cellphone agreement, or meal plan for a college student, we assume unlimited is really limited and unconditional has some conditions. That suspicion extends to our relationship with God. Unconditional love? Unlimited forgiveness? There must be a catch. But what if there isn’t?STUDY GUIDE
Life Without LackPastor Josh dives deep into Psalm 23 where David is taking us on a journey and he shows us what it looks like to be in the presence of and be completely dependent upon the Lord. This psalm is an inexhaustible metaphor for life. And along the way, we’re going to pause and ask the question: What is the invitation?
STUDY GUIDE
Let's Talk: Mental Health - Part 5: The Professionals Some questions about mental health can be answered with theology. Some questions about mental health need a little more than that. In the final part of the series, we’ll hear from a panel of professional counselors. They’re going to answer many of the questions you’ve asked throughout the series and maybe even some that you were afraid to ask
Let's Talk: Mental Health - Part 4: Dependance in DepressionWhen you review the great names and personalities of the Scriptures, you become aware very quickly that almost all of them knew, at one time or another, great discouragement and deep depression. Job, Moses, Elijah, Jonah, Jeremiah, Peter, David, and even Jesus. The company of the depressed is a very noble company. And whether we will admit it or not, all of us have been numbered among them. Psalm 42 is an intensely helpful passage when we find ourselves there
Let's Talk: Mental Health - Part 3: Worst Case Scenario So often our fears take us into a worst-case scenario. What if I lose my job? What if she leaves me? What if everything falls apart? What if I get an incurable disease and die? Joshua and the nation of Israel discovered that God loves to do what everyone thought was impossible, and in the process they discovered that too often we stress over a battle that’s already been won.
Let's Talk: Mental Health - Part 2: End of My RopeSo you’re stressed, worried or even anxious. What’s going on? Well, if you dig a little deeper, it’s like your stress and anxiety are tied to a rope that has something at the end....often, something that’s hidden from you. What’s at the end of your rope can tell you a lot about why you worry and how to reduce your anxiety
Let's Talk: Mental Health - Part 1: The Other Epidemic Burnout seems to be the epidemic nobody wants to admit to these days. And a surprising number of people who perhaps haven’t fully burned out still test positive for the signs of burnout. We’ll look at what causes burnout, how to know you’re in it and how to get back. Plus we’ll touch on suicide and why the voices you may be hearing are lying.
Offensive Holiness
Have you ever been blindsided by problems you feel utterly unprepared for? For many people, that is a metaphor for the last two years. There is a solution.
God & Your Bod: Part 5 - What's In Your HandsDavid, Esther, Nehemiah, Moses… the Bible is full of stories of men and women, from all kinds of places, with all kinds of talents, that they made available to God. God took their willingness and used them in remarkable ways. That’s still the way God works today. So, what do you have in your hands?STUDY GUIDE
God & Your Bod: Part 4 - Watch Your Step We've all ended up places we never meant to be--where life was complicated and there were seemingly no good options. And looking back we saw the warning signs. We just chose to ignore them. But it doesn't have to be that way. By looking back at age-old wisdom we can learn to look ahead and avoid the danger that lies in wait for us down the road.
STUDY GUIDE
God & Your Bod: Part 3 - Listen and LearnThe calming tones of a tropical rainforest, the songs of your favorite band, or listening to your favorite podcast, the possibilities of what we listen to are endless. We can live in a world filled only with the sounds and voices of our choosing. But what happens when all you tune into are your own selections and songs of personal preference? What happens when you refuse to take out the EarPods and listen to voices of reason?STUDY GUIDE
God & Your Bod: Part 2 - What You See Is What You GetIt’s a daily reality that many of us take for granted but it was one of Jesus’ most profound teachings. Our eyes impact everything we do. If you don’t believe that, just try going a day with a blindfold on and see how difficult it is. But it’s even more than just daily living, our eyes have the ability to impact the course of our lives. We’ll look at a passage of Scripture where Jesus teaches about that exact thing by talking about our eyes.STUDY GUIDE
God & Your Bod: Part 1 - Neglector or Worshiper?
Are you a body-neglector or body-worshiper? If you’re not sure, maybe this will help. If a fat gram is something you avoid, you may be a worshiper. If a fat gram is something you love, you may be a neglector. If you avoid caffeine, you may be a worshiper. If you add enough sugar and milk to your coffee to make it taste like a donut, you may be a neglector. If sit-ups are a part of your daily routine, you may be a worshiper. If a sit-up is just an unavoidable part of getting out of bed in the morning, you may be a neglector. Let’s figure out where we are on the spectrum and what to do about it.STUDY GUIDE
Advent Conspiracy 2021: Part 4 - Love
All The coming of Christ changed the world. Is it possible that Christmas can still change the world? It can if we choose to act. Jesus came for the poor and the marginalized. This Christmas our church will do the same out of a desire to love people that are the “least of these” and in turn we’ll change the world.
Advent Conspiracy 2021: Part 3 - Give MoreWhy do we give gifts at Christmas? There are a lot of roads that have led us to where we are but ultimately it’s because God gave us the gift of His son. It was a thoughtful, hand-delivered, personal gift dripping with grace. As followers of Jesus, that’s our model for gift giving.STUDY GUIDE
Advent Conspiracy 2021: Part 2 - Spend Less If you’re a follower of Jesus you come from a very long line of rebels. Originally it was about rebelling against King Herod and the Roman Empire. Jesus’ movement was and continues to have a rebellious bent to it. We have a choice this Christmas. We can bow to the kingdom of consumerism, materialism, and greed or we could do something else… rebel.STUDY GUIDE
Advent Conspiracy 2021: Part 1 - Worship Fully
The first response to Jesus’ birth was worship. Mary and Zechariah sang, John leaped in his mother’s womb, the shepherds spread the word, the angels praised, Simeon and Anna gave thanks. The first Christmas was about worshipping God for His gift to us. How(or who) will you worship this Christmas?STUDY GUIDE
From His AbundanceToday's service is a special one in which we celebrate together as individuals share their unique salvation stories and go public with their faith in Jesus. And as we are grateful for what God has done, we know that later this week we’ll join with family and friends and eat too much stuffing or mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie, some of us will watch football, some of us will travel to visit family, some of us will host that traveling family, and we will have much to be thankful for. So today, let us remember where the epicenter of our thanksgiving lies.
What Happens After You Die: Part 4 - Welcome to Hell Very few people take hell seriously anymore. These days, hell has been reduced to a joke, a swear word, a cartoon, or a reality only mean-spirited people believe in. If that’s the case, why did Jesus appear to take hell so seriously? While the Old Testament barely mentions hell, the New Testament, Jesus, and many others talk about it a lot. What’s going on? Is hell real? And if so, what should you do about it? We’ll also wrap up the series by working through your top questions about hell.STUDY GUIDE
What Happens After You Die: Part 3 - Welcome To Heaven So if you’re going to live forever, what’s it like? This week, we’ll look at the biblical descriptions of heaven, what role Jesus plays, what role your deeds play (they do play a role, just not the one most people think), and we’ll answer your top questions on heaven.STUDY GUIDE
What Happens After You Die: Part 2 - Almost Dead
A lot of people struggle to believe what they read in Scripture. Instead, they argue that they’d be more likely to believe if someone came back from the dead and told them about what happens when you die. This week we’ll look at the stories of three people who did just that.STUDY GUIDE
What Happens After You Die: Part 1 - 5 Myths About Eternity Almost everyone has an opinion about the afterlife, but so many things people believe about eternity may or may not be true. How do you know whether what you think is true… is true? To kick off the series, we’ll cover five commonly held myths about eternity (like everything works out just fine) that it’s time to bust.STUDY GUIDE
The Heartbeat of Us: Part 2 - Mission RevolutionMost Jesus followers today still think of missions as taking a trip, but may never see how they can be involved right now and right here. But every Jesus follower has been invited to join God in His mission to reach the entire world. Every Jesus follower has been given meaningful ways to join God in His Global purpose and they can begin today; not out of guilt or fear, but purpose and significance.Afternoon SessionsSECOND SESSIONTHIRD SESSION
The Heartbeat of Us: Part 1 - GoIf you knew you were going to die and only had a few moments left to communicate, what would you tell those closest to you? That was the place Jesus found himself in before he ascended into heaven. What he said has been dissected, taught, and dissected again throughout the centuries. But what did he mean? To put it simply: a disciple goes and does what Jesus taught by making another disciple. So… are you a disciple?STUDY GUIDE
Sacred Pathways: Part 4 - Cleaning Out The Closet Reconciling with someone who has wronged us or wronged someone we love is not natural or comfortable. But sometimes it's necessary—for our sakes because resentment takes a toll, and for their sakes because they want to reconnect. We know all about reconciliation between God and sinners but what about reconciliation between sinner and sinner? GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
Sacred Pathways: Part 3 - Say What?Ok, so God speaks to us through his word and we need to soak it up like a sponge in our own unique way. But is this relationship a one-way conversation? That’s where prayer comes in. Everybody prays but not everybody prays the way Jesus taught us to pray. If we’re going to draw near to God by talking with him, our prayers need to be more than simply rattling off our list of desires. In part three, we’ll see what Jesus had to say about prayer.GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
Sacred Pathways: Part 2 - Soak It InWhat role does the Bible play in your life? What role do you think it’s supposed to play? If we’re going to draw near to God we should probably know what He has to say to us. He’s always speaking, we just need to listen. And because of our individual styles, incorporating the Scriptures into our daily lives will be different for everyone.SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
Sacred Pathways: Part 1 - Cookie Cutter Christianity
How do you have a relationship with an invisible God? Some people like connecting with him in nature while others like connecting with him in silence. Some people like reading great books and others like getting behind great causes. Is it possible that God created us as individuals and we’ll connect with him in different ways?DISCUSSION GUIDESacred Pathways Online Assessment
It All Goes Back In The Box When life is over, all that we thought we acquired is not really ours. It doesn’t belong to us. We just used it for a little while, but now it goes to somebody else. That’s the way life works. Take inventory of your life. Are you tempted to throw your life away on stuff that won’t matter, and chase after things that won’t last?
It’s The End Of The World As We Know It: Part 4 - Your Personal Survival Guide
It’s one thing to know how everything turns out and to decide for the side of good and the side of God, but it’s another thing to make it until then. In the meantime—cancer, addictions, broken relationships, conflict, tragedy, and suffering remains. Are personal anxiety, stress, and fear always bound to be on the rise? In this final week of the series, we’ll share a critical key to navigating the personal suffering that seems inevitable in this world.
STUDY GUIDE
It’s The End Of The World As We Know It: Part 3 - Checkmate
It’s great to know how things end, but in the meantime, what’s with evil? So often evil seems to be winning, and so many people are angry at God for letting that happen. It’s a good point. If God is so loving, why does he allow so much evil and suffering? While that question is difficult to answer convincingly, God does something more spectacular and powerful with evil. Eventually, evil self-destructs. And when evil throws itself at God, he does something unbelievable with it.STUDY GUIDE
It’s The End Of The World As We Know It: Part 2 - How It All Ends
So what exactly will happen next? Will we blow ourselves up? Will A.I. take over and turn us into a sub-species? Will climate change wipe us out? Will God allow any of this, or will he protect the people he loves and magically work out? Jesus has a lot to say about what’s coming, and with it, extends a powerful invitation.STUDY GUIDE
It’s The End Of The World As We Know It: Part 1 - Babel On
Most of us hold the idea that the future will always get better, that somehow we will figure this out. But the question is, can we? Is that true? We’ll look at two ancient stories that tell us more about ourselves than most of us want to admit, and realize why the struggle apart from God is more futile than we think. Are people inherently good, or a mixed bag? Is there a limit to human progress? And if we’re so enlightened, why do we keep almost destroying ourselves again and again?STUDY GUIDE
Missing Piece
It’s a sobering thought but the author of Hebrews says we are all capable of drifting away from God. Even if we start with heart-felt convictions, determined to stay the course, we could find ourselves falling back into thoughts and behaviors we committed to avoiding. For some reason commitments and convictions aren’t enough to get us to the finish line. We need to add one more piece to the puzzle if we're going to stay the course.
STUDY GUIDE
Summer Playlist: Part 7 - God of This City
Many of us were raised to believe that life is full of promise, "You can be anything you want to be!" But in reality, life is sometimes just blah. It's not always wrong or bad, it's just...monotonous. Mundane. Doesn't seem to matter. How do we keep a God-sized perspective on life when life just seems boring?
Summer Playlist: Part 6 - ThanksLiving Each morning we wake up, put on our clothes, drink our cups of coffee, and start our day just like millions of other people. But what sets apart a follower of Jesus? We are called to live a life that never ceases thanking God for the mundane to the magnificent. With the right perspective and focus we can live lives brimming with thankfulness, and in doing so, change the world around us.
STUDY GUIDE
Summer Playlist: Part 5 - Indispensable There are very few places in life where we feel indispensable. If you don’t show up for work, they’ll hire somebody else. If you forget about your Friday night softball game, they’ll call somebody else. About the only way we are indispensable is with our family. But there is one other place that you and I are indispensable. We’ll look at what the Apostle Paul said about that and see how each and every one of us can contribute to something that’s going to last forever.STUDY GUIDE
Summer Playlist: Part 4 - Individual Freedom The United States of America is a nation of laws. But laws only define what is permissible, they don’t tell us what we should do. Laws define our rights without the necessary counterpart—our responsibilities. As Christians living in this nation of laws, we can do better. We can follow Christ’s command to love our neighbors as ourselves. We can exercise our personal rights with great responsibility for the benefit of others.STUDY GUIDE
Summer Playlist: Part 3 - Blessed Be Your Name
We all go through hard times in life. Some are going through them right now. The remarkable story of Job and his response to overwhelming pain - emotional, physical, and spiritual pain - gives us help today for persevering through our pain.STUDY GUIDE
Summer Playlist: Part 2 - Decisions, DecisionsIt’s one of the most frequent questions that follows us throughout life—what’s God's will for me? We face decision after decision and hope we make the one that aligns with God’s will. But is there a way to know we’re making the right decision? Is there a grid to filter all our decisions through to make sure we’re following God’s will for our life?STUDY GUIDE
Summer Playlist: Part 1 - Dream Again
In many ways, we are living in a time of accelerated change. Over the last year, many of us have experienced things we’ve never experienced before and life (probably) won’t ever be the same. But how do you move from seeing change as a threat to seeing it as an opportunity? How do you move from merely surviving to dreaming again?STUDY GUIDE
Tempting Jesus: Part 4 - King of the HillSomewhere along the way you will be presented with an opportunity to jump ahead, take a shortcut, or move closer to that goal you are chasing. The only catch will be that you’ll have to temporarily abandon your values to obtain it. So what will you do? It turns out that Jesus was made an offer like that in His third temptation. Examining His response will prepare you for your moment of truth.STUDY GUIDE
Tempting Jesus: Part 3 - Proving Ground
Every day people fall into the temptation of presuming on God. You see it in the married couple that spends irresponsibly and then asks God to bail them out financially. The young girl who says, "I'll marry him, then pray for him." But what's wrong with that? Isn’t He a God of grace and forgiveness? Hasn't God promised to take care of us? In part 3 we'll look at Jesus' second temptation and what it teaches us about presuming on God.
STUDY GUIDE
Yort and Cait Clark Conversation
A break from the series as we hear about New Hope Church in Kansas City and all that God is doing in and through this new church.
Tempting Jesus: Part 2 - Soul ProviderIt’s tempting to feel that God is in no hurry to take care of your needs--like the direction your marriage is headed, the fact that you’re still single, or the speed at which your career is advancing. Jesus too was tempted to take things in His own hands and His response reveals a lot about what’s really at stake when we are tempted to act independently of God.STUDY GUIDE
Tempting Jesus: Part 1 - Forty-One Days
Have you ever wondered why it’s so hard to turn away from temptation? What is it that leads you to keep making the same poor choices? Could it be that the reason you find temptation so… well, tempting, is that you've never stopped to think about what’s at stake? In part 1, we’ll discuss what really hangs in the balance when you’re faced with temptation.STUDY GUIDE
Me & My Big Mouth: Part 4 - Avoiding Fish MouthOur big mouths can be destructive, but they also have the power to build others up. What we say can impact the quality, and even the direction, of the lives of the people around us. How can we use this power for good? STUDY GUIDE
Me & My Big Mouth: Part 3 - Demolition Derby All the sins of the tongue are deadly. Profanity, insults, lying negativism, complaints, and criticism are all harmful. But gossip has destroyed more people, tarnished more reputations, broken more friendships, and split more churches than any of those. Gossip is quickly told, quickly heard, and quickly spread. Worst of all, gossip is quickly believed. People will confess to theft, adultery, even murder. But very few confess to gossip.Study Guide
Me & My Big Mouth: Part 2 - Humble, Honest, Kind The way we speak to others is directly related to our influence with them. If we want to influence them thoughtfully we should get in the habit of asking three questions about our speech: Is it humble? Is it honest? Is it kind? We’ll look again to Proverbs to see how we can speak thoughtfully and influence others positively.Study Guide
Me and My Big Mouth: Part 1 - Hollow Mouth Words are powerful. They can beat us down and lift us up. They wound and they heal. And the right words at the right time can be exactly what we need to hear—or what we need to say. In part 1, we look at the power of our words to make promises, set plans and follow-through, and the importance of being slow to rush into words we might regret.Study Guide
A Remarkable Ending: Part 2 - Spoiler Alert Nobody likes it when a movie or story gets spoiled. We even have language to make sure it doesn’t happen, “Spoiler alert!” We don’t typically want the ending of a story ruined for us. But when it comes to Easter there’s no need for a spoiler alert because we know how the story ends. Or do we?
A Remarkable Ending: Part 1 - Death of a KingMark guides us through the final hours of Jesus’ life. From a triumphant entrance into Jerusalem to the excruciating pain of the cross. It’s the kind of storyline movies are made of. But the point can’t be missed: all those years ago, God took the judgment we deserved onto Himself. The question is: how will you respond?
Under the Sun: Part 6 - Old Time Religion“Evangelical” is a word you probably hear more in the news than you do at church. The word simply means to be about the good news of Jesus but it’s come to be known as a conservative voting bloc who lack compassion. Has the church in America lost their way and their voice? We’ll wrap up our series by looking at how religion under the sun is not the answer. Study Guide
Under the Sun: Part 5 - The Loneliest NumberEvery terrorist organization in the world uses isolation to break people’s spirits. There’s a reason the worst punishment you can get in our prison system is called solitary confinement. It’s excruciating to be forced to be alone because we were created in the image of a triune God. We were literally made for relationship. Isolation is nothing new under the sun but there is a solution
Under The Sun: Part 4 - In JusticeNelson Mandela. Atticus Finch. Oskar Schindler. Rosa Parks. Orange Scott. William Wilberforce. Sojourner Truth. Susan B. Anthony. Some names we recognize, some names we don’t, but they’re all individuals who decided to defend defenseless people. This is a theme all throughout the book of Ecclesiastes, actually all throughout the Bible. In part four of Under the Sun, we’ll look at what God says about injustice and our role in addressing it.Study Guide
Under the Sun: Part 3 - Sunrise, Sunset Life is like a drier in a laundromat, it goes around and around and around and those of us in it end up wrinkled. This seems to be what the teacher is saying in chapter three. Life under the sun is boring, mundane, and purposeless. But the good news is that living under the sun is not all there is.Study Guide
Under the Sun: Part 2 - Mick Jagger Was Right You’ve heard the song before, you know the words, Mick Jagger sang them, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” We search high and low, try to squeeze it out of other people, even try to buy it but we still can’t quite grasp it. Is there anything more to life than that? A source of deeper satisfaction under the sun? The answer might not be surprising but the outcome might be.Study Guide
Under the Sun: Part 1 - Vapor
Go outside on a cold, February, Kansas morning and breathe into the air. What would you see? Your breath in vapor form. But just as quickly as you see it, it would disappear. This is how the author of Ecclesiastes describes life under the sun—it just isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. What in the world are we supposed to do with that? Study Guide
Are You Going to the Party?Our readiness for Jesus’ return is determined by our stewardship of the resources that He has given us. It is a matter of being about our business for the Lord. Are you a part of God's Kingdom? And if you are, are you investing in the building of the Kingdom of Heaven, so when Jesus returns you will receive an invite to the greatest party ever?
Nic @ Night
We have all had a few very memorable, hopefully meaningful, conversations in our lives. Memorable and meaningful conversations have a personal impact. Jesus had this kind of meaningful, personal conversation with Nicodemus about a person being "born again." Have you had such a conversation with Jesus? It will be the most meaningful conversation you ever have. Study Guide
Fresh Start: Part 4 - Participation What does it take for God to do something amazing? All the disciples could muster was five loaves and two fish to feed a hungry crowd of over five thousand. But that was all Jesus needed. When you do what you can do and trust God to do what only he can do, the results will be astounding. In the last installment of Fresh Start, we’ll talk about how investing your gifts and talents can help our church get a fresh start in 2021.
Study Guide
Fresh Start: Part 3 - DirectionWe all have certain places we’d like to end up this year. But the paths we choose don’t automatically get us to our intended destinations. One poor decision can send us down the wrong road, crushing our dreams, and wasting seasons of our lives. As time passes, we look back wondering how we got off course, and how we can recover. In part three, we’ll look at another word that can help us make a fresh start this year.Study Guide
Fresh Start: Part 2 - FoundationThe most common error in making a fresh start is ________. What do you think? Our motive can be right and our method can be right but if we don’t get this one thing right, none of that will matter. In part two, we’ll talk about the one thing we have to get right if we don’t want next time to be a repeat of last time.Study Guide
Fresh Start: Part 1 - ReflectionIf you’re looking for 2021 to provide a fresh start for you relationally or financially or spiritually or occupationally, how are you going to make that happen? Is it just about making a list of resolutions and sticking to them? As we kick off a new year with a new series, we’ll wrestle with the reality that if we really want something to change in the future we’ve got to own the stuff in our past.Study Guide
Who Needs Christmas?If any year has shown us we need Christmas, it is this year. The uncertainty. The disappointments. The challenges. Thousands of years before Mary and Joseph, God made an unbelievable, incoherent, impossible promise. Though circumstances argue to the contrary, God can be trusted. When He makes a promise, He will follow through.
4 Thoughts That Can Still Change the World: Part 4 - Love All The coming of Christ changed the world. Is it possible that Christmas can still change the world? It can if we choose to act. Jesus came for the poor and the marginalized. This Christmas our church will do the same out of a desire to love people that are the “least of these” and in turn, God-willing, we’ll change the world.Study Guide
4 Thoughts That Can Still Change the World: Part 3 - Give MoreWhy do we give gifts at Christmas? There are a lot of roads that have led us to where we are but ultimately it’s because God gave us the gift of His son. It was a thoughtful, hand-delivered, personal gift dripping with grace. As followers of Jesus, that’s our model for gift giving.Study Guide
Four Thoughts That Can Still Change The World: Part 2 - Spend LessMary’s prayer, called The Magnificat, is a bold and courageous declaration against the empire of more. It would have been considered an act of rebellion to proclaim there was another kingdom (and king) who would supersede that kingdom. Mary was announcing a revolution! Jesus’ movement was and continues to have a revolutionary bent to it. We have a choice this Christmas—we can bow to the empire of more or we could do something else.Study Guide
4 Thoughts That Can Still Change the World: Part 1 - Worship FullyThe first response to Jesus’ birth was worship. Mary and Zechariah sang, Joseph obeyed without question, the shepherds paused their busyness to spread the word, the magi confronted anything that stood in the way of worshipping the one true God, and Simeon and Anna gave thanks. The first Christmas was about worshipping God for His gift to us. How(or who) will you worship this Christmas?Study Guide
Thank God For Crisis Life is full of surprises - some good, some not so good. But each unexpected event that comes our way is actually a divine opportunity. In Joseph’s life we read that God was actually with Him, even though his “normal” was turned on its head multiple times. Maybe crisis plays a pivotal role in the development of our confidence in God.Study Guide
Going PublicOriginally, baptism was not a religious concept. But over time, it’s become an exclusively religious idea - one that surfaces deep emotion and controversy. In this message, we’ll explore what baptism is; from its birth with John the Baptist to its modern equivalent. If you’re a follower of Christ and baptism is still on your to-do list, this message may be the nudge you need to finally go public.Study Guide
Separation of Church and HateAre we making a point or making a difference? It’s easier to make a point—to slap a bumper sticker on our car, share an article on Facebook, or discount everything the “other” side says. Making a difference is messier. It requires relating to people with whom we may not agree. But that is what Jesus modeled. In this message, we’ll see – despite being more complicated and looking inconsistent at times – making a difference is what we are called to as a church. study guide
Uncertainty: Certain Faith In Uncertain Times - Part 3: Hopelessly Broken
In whom or what are you placing your hope? In parents, relationships, careers, or wealth? Things like these are often the center of our expectations. But, eventually, all these earthly hopes decay. Always. How can we remain hopeful in a world that at times seems hopelessly broken? In this message, we’ll look to Scripture for the answer to that question.
study guide
Uncertainty: Certain Faith in Uncertain Times - Part 2: In the Meantime Have you ever noticed that God seems to get our attention more during the bumps of life than when things are going smoothly? During times of national crisis, church attendance skyrockets. During times of personal crisis, we turn to God. In this message, we’ll reveal something God wants us to know when he finally has our attention. study guide
Uncertainty: Certain Faith in Uncertain Times - Part 1: Old News Life is full of uncertainties; ups and downs that can impact our jobs, our finances, even our families. For many, debt, stress, and uncertainty are ruling their lives. And in the midst of this mess, we often find ourselves wondering, "Where is God?" Is it possible to maintain faith in God when there is no evidence of his activity in our lives? In Part 1, we’ll be reminded that it is during these darkest times that God may be doing his greatest work. study guide
Missions Emphasis 2020: Jesus Got Angry Anger is an emotion we try to get rid of or manage. That’s because we usually get angry about things insubstantial like not getting our way or slow drivers or our food being overcooked. But when Jesus got angry it was about something more significant than his wounded pride. So… what’s the connection between Jesus’ anger and missions? We’ll dive in to Mark 3 to find out.study guide missions booklet
It's Just A Phase: Part 4 - Family HacksFamily life comes with decisions and challenges every day. How we see and approach our families is important, but there’s also some everyday practical stuff. How do you tackle screen time, bedtime, dating, when do they get a phone, how do you manage their behavior - this list could go on! We’ve got a panel of experts to answer the tough questions and have a conversation about the everyday challenges, opportunities, and rhythms of family. study guide
It's Just A Phase: Part 3 - Bigger Families Are Better
Statistics say that the three biggest factors in building a faith that lasts in the life of a child are the spiritual investment of a parent, the outside voices of other adults, and the opportunity for that child to find a personal mission. That’s why having a family rhythm of faith and having outside voices speaking into your family are so important. That’s why a partnership with a church is so important for every family. This week, we’re looking at exactly what that could look like for you.
study guide family circle handout
It's Just A Phase: Part 2 - Every Week Counts
Parents have approximately 936 weeks from the time their child is born until he or she graduates from high school. It goes by fast. The responsibility to shape a child’s faith and character can seem overwhelming. If you’re a parent, you have probably realized by now that you can’t make a toddler share. Can’t force a child to have faith. Can’t compel a teenager to make smart decisions. But there is something parents can do. They can make this week count. And then do it again, and again, and again, and again…study guide
It's Just A Phase: Part 1 - It's Just A Phase
A phase is a timeframe in kids' lives when you can leverage distinctive opportunities to influence their future. That means the whining infant, the dramatic fifth grader, and the stressed-out tenth grader are not just going through a phase that should be wished away. Instead, they’re transitioning through a critical phase that you are called to discover, celebrate, and navigate strategically with them. study guide
I Love My Ecclesia: Part 6 - Does It Matter? Does the Church matter? Has the Church’s message made a difference in individuals, communities, nations, or history at all? Is the Church’s message for eternal life also a message for a better life? Christianity, unlike any other religion or civilization, offers not just a different way of living, but a better way of living. Which means the church matters more than we often realize.study guide
I Love My Ecclesia: Part 5 - The Virus
Controversies arise in churches for many reasons. Some important. Some seemingly trivial. One tension that arose in the early days of the Church and that continues to surface over and over is the issue of grace and truth. Namely, how good does a person have to be in order to be part of the church?
study guide
I Love My Ecclesia: Part 4 - Our Message
The message of Christianity comes in all shapes and sizes. Some people emphasize our brokenness. Others emphasize God’s goodness... the need for repentance or forgiveness... having faith... walking in obedience. While all of these aspects are part of the Gospel, what was the essential message that ignited a movement that continues today?study guide
I Love My Ecclesia: Part 3 - Undercover ChristiansAre we guilty of practicing safe Christianity? What does bold Christianity even look like in America? Rather than being a group of safe believers, the early Christians looked for opportunities to be bold. In part three, we’ll be challenged to create our own opportunities to be bold. study guide
I Love My Ecclesia: Part 2 - Community 101
“You’ll never believe what happened next…” Ever heard someone say that while telling you a story? What happens next in our story is kind of hard to believe but it happened. It’s a beautiful moment where the concept of community is lived out and the power of God is demonstrated in miraculous ways. The best part? The same is possible for us today.
study guide
I Love My Ecclesia: Part 1 - Opening DayIn the beginning, the church was simply a gathering of people who came together around one belief: that Jesus was the risen Christ, the son of the living God. That was all they had and that was enough. On day one the church started as a movement and it’s still moving today.
Complete JoySo, IF Jesus has ever blessed you in any way, let us, together, in unity and humility, bring him complete joy – loving others the way he does. In this racially, politically, pandemic divided time we find ourselves in, it will be this attitude of self-emptying love that changes our community, our city, our state, and our nation to the glory of God.
James: A Faith That Works: Part 7 - The Best Things Come To Those That WaitWhy is there pain and suffering in the world, and what are we supposed to do about it? We must trust that God is working behind the scenes and be patient to allow Him to finish.
James: A Faith That Works: Part 6 - Can't We All Just Get AlongWhat is the source of conflict in our relationships? We tend to blame problems on the circumstances that hurt us without taking any responsibility ourselves. Yet, are others to blame for our unhappiness or discontent? God is the source of everything we need and all we have to do is ask Him for his help.
James: A Faith That Works: Part 5 - A Lethal InfectionOur words determine the course of our lives and affect the environment and course of the lives of others. We need to realize the positive and negative potential of our words and how what we say affects others.1. Why is it easier to remember the negative words than the positive words that have been spoken to us?2. In which relationship(s) do you most often find yourself losing control of your mouth? Have you faced any relational consequences as a result?3. It’s difficult to come to grips with how powerful our words can be. In which of the following areas do you need the most help? Remember: recognize your words are powerful Surrender: continually ask God to help you Confess: don’t explain or excuse, but own the fires you start
James: A Faith That Works: Part 4 - The Dirty Little Secret RevealedJames was very clear: don’t show favoritism to others. When we do our motives are evil. If we want to have faith that works, we need to see people through God's eyes and honor those that we have a tendency to dishonor.
James: A Faith That Works: Part 3 - Don't Just Stand There!We must do more than listen to sermons. Believing right is pointless unless we do something about it. When we put feet on our faith, we will be bless-able and God will use what we are doing to bring healing to our souls.
James: A Faith That Works: Part 2 - This Is Only A TestWe avoid things we don’t like. But sometimes things come our way that we can’t avoid. When our circumstances deteriorate, what do we do when there’s nothing we can do? Adversity in our lives is not evidence of a lack of God's faithfulness. This is God's way of building faith in us.
James: A Faith That Works: Part 1 - Use As DirectedYou can believe all of the right things, but if you don't apply what you believe to your life, it is useless to you. Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. God will use what you believe to preserve your life, finances, and family through applying what you believe.
No More MindgamesWhat comes into your mind comes out in your life. We identify the lie, capture the wrong thoughts and make them obedient to the truth found in Christ, and He will set you free. podcast
Upside Down Kingdom: Part 6 - Upside Down SexIf you really want to get countercultural, just look at Jesus’ teachings on sex, marriage and adultery. Almost nobody believes that stuff anymore. Except for Jesus. When it comes to Jesus’ alternative teachings on sex and relationships, maybe it’s not just a question of what he’s longing to save you from. Maybe it’s a question of what Jesus is trying to save you for. If you think sex is just physical, think again. podcast
Upside Down Kingdom: Part 5 - Learning to PrayIt’s the most famous prayer of all time, The Lord’s Prayer. But this prayer actually wasn’t for the Lord, it was for us. Jesus was literally teaching his followers how to pray. So how does it apply to us? Does prayer really change things? If you think the answer to that question is no, think again.
Upside Down Kingdom: Part 4 - Sounds of PeaceWorry… it’s universal. It’s as much a part of life as breathing. But Jesus said, “Don’t worry!” Easier said than done, right? In this message, we’ll discover where worry comes from, why it’s so difficult to overcome, and what you can do to conquer worry in your life. If you think worry has to be a consistent part of your life, think again.
Upside Down Kingdom: Part 3 - Turn Down the Volume
If we could pick one emotion to remove from relationships, this might be it. It not only creates distance in personal relationships, it has the potential to literally kill. It feels right in the moment but when the emotion passes you’re left with nothing more than destruction. If you think you have a right to be angry, think again.
Upside Down Kingdom: Part 2 - I'm Supposed to Love Who?
It’s easy to love your friends, but it’s almost impossible to love your enemies. Which is exactly why Jesus tells you to do just that. One of the defining characteristics of people who follow Jesus should be love for their enemies. If you think it’s impossible to do that, think again.
Upside Down Kingdom: Part 1 - Living in the Upside Down
Well known. Poorly applied. That’s an accurate way of describing so many of Jesus’ teachings, including his teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. Some people think Jesus was just spouting hyperbole. Actually, he was ushering in His upside down kingdom. We’ll start the journey with Jesus’ teaching on the blessed life. If you think you are #blessed, you might need to think again.