Evergreen Christian Community

Wisdom for Trying Times - Prayer & Worship

Proverbs 4:1-9, 20-27

Revealing Jesus to Your World

Colossians 1:24-29 THE BIG IDEA: Nothing shows your world Jesus more effectively than how you handle suffering. Two Important Teachings For Today: 1. Why suffering will always be part of following Jesus. • Philippians 1:29 • A Christianity without suffering puts the Christian, not Christ, as the focal point of its faith. 2. How we can experience joy in suffering. • “I rejoice” - “chairo” - a state of happiness and gladness. • Change Your Scorecard. • The Mystery of God is being revealed through ...

The God Strategy - Prayer & Worship

Judges 6:11-14

Jesus Is Everything

Colossians 1:13-23 The Big Idea: Everything comes from, exists for, and finds completeness in Jesus. Colossians 1:13-14 The Gospel Truth About You: • You are not enslaved * • You have access to limitless resources * Colossians 1:15-18 Three Reasons Jesus is All You Need: 1. Jesus is God. 2. Jesus is the point. 3. Jesus redeems everything. Colossians 1:18-22 Even God has a Conditional Clause. Here is my advice: • Anchor your life in Him. • Don’t place your hope anywhere else....

Prayer & Worship

Everything You Really Need To Know

The Big Idea: Alone I cannot win but in Christ I cannot lose. Colossians 1:9-14 Two Powerful Prayer Requests: 1. That God make you smart. 2. That God make you strong. How is this possible? • You have been delivered from being dominated. • You have been carried into God’s Kingdom.

Prayer & Worship (Online Only)

What Your Kids Really Want To Know

The Big Idea: Good parenting doesn’t major on correction or control, but on construction. Proverbs 22:6 Parents need revelation from God for two reasons: 1. Without revelation, we will lose our resolve. 2. Without revelation, we will lose our way. Ephesians 6:4 Top five things your kids really want to know: 1. Do you LOVE me? 2. Can we TRUST each other? - 5 Trust Robbers: • Judging by appearance • Sarcasm and put-downs • Expecting too much adult behavior too early • Minimizing their feelings • A...

Prayer & Worship (Online Only)

Where Contentment Really Comes From

Big Idea: The best thing I can do for my marriage is experience the peace of God. John 4:9-14 We look for relationships, status, and careers to bring us contentment. Water throughout Scripture: • Garden of Eden • Jacob’s Well • Woman at the well • Revelation John 4:16-17 The temptation we all face is to try and control the people around us. Genesis 2:10 Brokenness entered the world. Revelation 22:1-2 Jesus is our Reconciliation....

Prayer & Worship (Online Only)

Step One Toward Shalom in the Home

Series Big Idea: The greatest single thing you can do to glorify God and change the world is to experience and offer shalom in your home. Shalom in the home is the birthplace of world transformation. The Big Idea: To enjoy shalom in my home, I must first enjoy shalom in me. Two main reasons I lack shalom: 1. The problem of expectations. 2. Shalom is an inside job. Romans 8:1 Romans 8:5-8 The New Testament is not just descriptive or prescriptive, it is also definitive. How I find shalom: I find s...

Prayer & Worship (Online Only)

Words Create Worlds

Woke, 3- Words Create Worlds Jim Ladd, June 21, 2020 The Big Idea: Words create worlds. James 3:2-12 James 1:26-27 Our communication tends to be: • Inflammatory • Contentious • Demonizing The Power of Words: Proverbs 18:21 “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit - you choose.” Proverbs 12:18 Proverbs 15:1 Proverbs 15:4 Ask yourself: What is the end game that you want to be about? Pause before you hit send. Pause before you hit post. Four filters to clean our words and guard ...

Prayer & Worship (Online Only)

What the Bible Says About Racism

Big Idea: If we think we don’t have any stereotypes, we probably have a lot. John 4:19-24 Silence speaks. Implicit bias is the attitudes and stereotypes we don’t realize we have. John 4:6-9 Racism is based on a feeling of superiority. Jesus started a conversation. John 4:17-18 John 4:22-23 Jesus came to bring unity to all people.

Prayer & Worship (Online Only)

The Theology of Race

Ezekiel 3:14-15 Matthew 11:29 Listen to those in pain and listen to God. Three goals: Theology of race Biblical understanding of racism Biblical call to civility in chaos Galatians 3:28 Galatians 3:27 In the beginning: Genesis 1:26-27 1. We were made. (created) 2. We were made in the image of God. Searching for purpose apart from a relationship with God is like searching for answers where there aren’t any. “... There are two types of law: just and unjust.... A just law is a man-made code that sq...

Prayer & Worship - Racism & The Gospel

It's time we had a much overdue, necessary, and uncomfortable conversation. It's time we make bridges instead of burning them. It's time we shake hands instead of beat our fists. It's time. It's time we lament. It's time we seek reconciliation and restoration. It's time we pray for healing. It's time we pray. Join Archbishop Lorenzo Peterson, Pastor Jon Cobler, and Pastor Jim Ladd for a conversation about racism and the gospel. We will engage in an important and uncomfortable conversation in the...

The Secret Agent of Our Transformation

Acts 1:8 Every Christian is a pentecostal. Romans 8:9 The Big Idea: Trusting in self-effort kills the transforming power of God’s grace in your life. Galatians 3:1-13 We are asked three very powerful questions: 1. Did you experience new birth in Jesus by self-effort or by the Holy Spirit? 2. After being born this way, are you trying to live this new life by self-effort? 3. Does God do miracles and move among us by your self-effort or by the Holy Spirit? Galatians 2:19-21 I am Barabbas. 2 Corinth...

The Pathway to Blessing

The Big Idea: Only the source of all blessing can show us the path to true happiness. Matthew 5:3-12 True happiness is found in the circumstances God provides through this pathway - through Christ, himself. Blessings given to every Christian walking the pathway: • They possess the Kingdom of Heaven • They inherit the earth • They are comforted and satisfied • They receive mercy • They see God and are called the sons of God • Their heavenly reward is great. Every disciple of Jesus should be: • Ab...

Prayer & Worship (Online Only)

Wanted: Disciples Of Jesus

The Big Idea: A relationship with Jesus is built on one, uncompromising decision: obedience above everything. Matthew 7:21-27 Two unacceptable alternatives: 1. Merely verbal confession 2. Merely intellectual knowledge A verbal confession without obedience still sounds impressive. Jesus’ confession is terrifying. Knowledge with obedience separates the wise from the foolish. The wise and the fool: • The outside observer would notice no difference. • The difference is foundations and foundations ar...

Prayer & Worship (Online Only)

We Need Re-Formation

The Big Idea: That which we most deeply desire, we naturally sabotage. Genesis 3:1-13 The stories that we believe: • Made by God and for God - image-bearers • God is holding out on me • The forbidden fruit is the key to my fulfillment • I am not to blame (blame + guilt = shame) • I am damaged goods and worthless to God or anyone Three relationships essentials: 1. Relationship with God 2. Relationship with myself 3. Relationship with others The habits we form: • Fear (man’s core emotion) • Nakedn...

Prayer & Worship (Online Only)

The Daily Assignment

Big Idea: Followers of Jesus lead others to Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Matthew 4:18-21 Jesus is recruiting his team. Matthew 8:18-22 Matthew 28:19 Jesus has recruited you. How do you begin? Start with the basics: 1. GO: (God, Oikos) 2. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. -Figure out what your next step is. (Only you can do this) 3. Love your Oikos: 8-15 people in your traffic pattern. - You have already arrived at your mission field What is your next step toward Jesus?...

Prayer & Worship (Online Only)

The Greatest Goal

The Greatest Goal: Transformation (become like Jesus). The Big Idea: The fully-trained student will become like their teacher. Luke 6:39-40 2 Corinthians 3:18 The problem is not that we don’t want to change; the problem is that we don’t know how to change. Psalm 42:5,7 Proverbs 20:5 Proverbs 4:7 Spiritual formation is not a Christian thing - it is a human thing. Two myths: 1. All you have to do is know the Bible. 2. You don’t need to do anything - it’s all God....

The Highest Privilege and Priority in Life

The Big Idea: The fundamental privilege and priority in life is to live in the presence of God. John 14:16-20; 15:1-8 “I would do anything to have a body like that - except diet and exercise” -Jay Leno 1. Get Comfortable With Your Helper. Romans 8:5-11 2. Practice the Presence of God. “The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great ...