What a morning to celebrate how Jesus has changed people’s lives and their choice to follow Him. It’s amazing to see what God is doing. Baptism is also a time for all of us to reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus, and celebrate the freedom He brings us.
How can you tell what’s right and what’s wrong? Fortunately, many would say, we live in an age where objective truth has disappeared. What’s true for you isn’t true for others, and what’s wrong for you isn’t wrong for others. But is it truly good for us when morals change from generation to generation and you can write your own? Or, are we missing something?
Why 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 After all, it’s so full of terrible instances of violence and oppression that it has to be both barbaric and outdated.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 written. Right?
Why 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 After all, it’s so full of terrible instances of violence and oppression that it has to be both barbaric and outdated.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 written. Right?
Religion is basically how ancients understood the world, but science has taken us so far beyond that. Between what we know about evolution, astronomy, genetics, biology and so many other sciences, we’ve explained what we used to attribute to God. If science explains or will explain everything, why do we really need God?
We celebrated the incredible hope of the resurrection of Jesus at our Easter services and it was a powerful morning! Tune in for to catch our online experience of this service.
We’ve hosted a meaningful Good Friday services across all locations that included a reflection on the death of Christ and an opportunity to mark the moment with communion. These services are a little different and are always a special time.
Most of people either feel not very good about themselves or too good about themselves. Both are problems. And both are rooted in something sinister that Jesus would love to root out of your life. Once it’s gone, a much better understanding of what true success is can emerge.
So how do you know you’re good with God? How deeply do you have to obey? How often can you mess up? If you blow it, will God give up on you? Will he be mad at you? Will he punish you? These are good questions...but only religious people ask them. Christians ask a whole other set of questions, and Jesus shows us why.
It’s so easy to worry, and if you’re honest, it probably seems a little annoying when Jesus tells you to simply stop worrying (which he does). The real questions is how? We’ll look at what Jesus says the chief causes of worry are, and what to do about them.
Family 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 behaviour - this list could go on! On this week we had a panel of parents at different phases to answer the tough questions and have a conversation about the everyday challenges, opportunities, and rhythms of family.
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....
The honest truth is that every family fights. Some fight hot and others fight cold. Conflict is a part of family life. Is it possible to fight in a way that honours our family and our God? What if we started to think about fighting for our family instead of with our family? What if we started to fight for the heart of our family by inspiring them by living out a faith of adventure? What would that look like?
No matter what phase your family is in, you’ve discovered one thing...though the days can feel long, the years really are short. From sleepless nights to managing screen time to an empty nest, figuring out family life isn’t easy and the truth is that every phase seems to be different. How do you thrive in the phase you are in today and be sure that you are headed in the right direction in the long-term? In this series, we’ll be talking about strategies to navigate the pressures of family, timele...
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.
If 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.
Well known. Poorly applied. That’s an accurate way of describing so many of Jesus’ teachings, including his teachings on anger. Some people think Jesus was just spouting hyperbole. Actually, he was ushering in His Alt Kingdom. We’ll start this journey with Jesus’ teachings on anger. If you think you have a right to be angry, think again.
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, suffering remains—cancer, addictions, broken relationships, conflict, tragedy. Is 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.
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 happens. 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.
So what exactly will happen next? Will we blow ourselves up? Will AI 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 we’ll magically work it all out? Jesus has a lot to say about what’s coming, and with it, extends a powerful invitation.
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 this even 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?
The New Year is full of possibilities that fuel the potential for a better future. That’s why we make resolutions . . . even though those resolutions often fall by the wayside. But there’s something simple you can do to make the most of this year. It begins by looking past what you think is possible in your life to what God thinks is possible.
At Christmas, you can expect to see God, just not the God you expected. Maybe you’ve written off Jesus, Christianity or even Christmas, thinking it can’t possibly help you. Think again. Join us as Connexus Church hosts Christmas Eve In The City 2018, an evening of music, cheer and a message the whole family will love.
We all wonder. When we fix our eyes somewhere other than on God, wonder leads to wander. If you’ve wandered from the faith or are looking for the door, it’s not because of Jesus. It’s probably because you’ve fixed your eyes on people, institutions, or a religion based on following rules. You may think Christianity requires mind-numbing, experience-denying faith, but what if that’s not true?
We wonder because our frame of reference doesn’t provide us with all of the answers. Every version of religion works for children. But then life happens. We experience challenging circumstances that sow doubt in our childhood faith. Tragedy causes us to question if God is good and loving. Sin leads to guilt and shame. We wonder if God can really love us. Is there such a thing as a frame of reference that can accomodate a grown-up faith?
We all have a framework that helps us make sense out of life. It helps us make decisions that make sense. But we wonder about some things because our frame of reference doesn’t provide all the answers.
And then there’s parenting. You’re a parent forever, but believe it or not, no matter how young your kids are now, there’s a day when your kids WILL leave home. The question is, what do you focus on to make sure your kids have what they need to launch into life? There are so many things competing for your attention and their attention, but there’s one thing that matters most.
Dating is more complicated than it’s ever been, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Whether you’re single by choice or wishing you weren’t, what does God have to say to about navigating life without a partner? Surprisingly, the scripture has a very positive view of being single.
Your life was going just fine...until you saw someone else’s. Funny how that happens. A little more than a decade into smartphones and social media feels more like social misery. You look at someone else’s life/marriage/relationships/kids/job and it makes you...miserable. This week we’ll look at why comparison is the thief of joy, and the path Jesus shows you to find much more contentment.
You may not have it all together, but at least pastors have it all together, right? In this message, Carey and Toni Nieuwhof talk openly about the struggles and tough seasons they’ve come through in their marriage. Things haven’t been nearly as easy as they thought they would be, but they’ve been worth it. Carey and Toni will talk about how they got through the hard times to find the love they worried had been lost.
