ANYONE who attempts to trust God or follow Jesus is going to face times when they question whether that trust is well-founded. What do you do when things DON'T work out the way you think (or hope) they should? Do you walk away? Give up? Tune out for a season? Tucked away in Genesis is the account of a man who shows us that God CAN be trusted to do (exactly) what He's promised: and that man's name is Joseph.
For the past several decades, churches (in America) have operated like a business. They've promoted people into leadership who can get things done, make stuff happen, and get results. They've measured success in terms of butts in seats, size of facilities, and scope of programming. But have we made a mistake in doing so? And what have we LOST in running things that way? In this message, Max Vanderpool teaches on the BIGGEST METAPHOR for the church found in the New Testament: a FAMILY - and what ...
Can you imagine living in a country where parents routinely dumped off children with learning disabilities or special needs or physical limitations? That's part of the larger culture of Kenya, because flawed children are seen as cursed. James, Rach'el, and Josh Ballard share what it's like when CHRISTIANS welcome and love the kids few people want to welcome and love.
Take the CHALLENGE! Start writing down three things you're thankful for EACH DAY and see what happens (six months later)...
Three-year-olds and eighty-three-year-olds have one thing in common: if they think it, they say it, and if they feel it, they express it. Which is why it's incredibly important to develop some self-control when it comes to what you say to others and what you say to yourself. In this message, Max Vanderpool talks about practical ways to bring about life in your speech.
Following Jesus is a transformative way of life: the old becomes new. In this message, James Ballard, looks at how followers of Jesus can live a transformed, fruit-filled life every single day.
Everybody needs someone who will support you, come through for you and defend you...someone who is loyal, trustworthy, constant, and reliable. And you know what? Somebody ELSE needs that from you! Because faithfulness matters.
Random acts of kindness are still in vogue today, but is there something more to it? Is it still kindness if you have all the feels on the inside, but don't actually get around to doing anything about it? And do we have to be kind to everyone? Aren't some folks undeserving of kindness? Do they, in the sense, have it coming? Fortunately, Jesus answers these questions in a parable recorded in Luke's Gospel.
Unlike joy, which is complex and can accommodate other emotions and feeling, peace won't share space with worry, fear and anxiety. In fact, worry, fear and anxiety will exert enough pressure that peace is pushed out entirely. And yet, Jesus promised that we would HAVE (experience) peace. Max Vanderpool unpacks Matthew 6 to help paint a picture of what this fruit of the Spirit might look like in your life.
We know. You've got the joy, joy, joy, down in your heart. WHERE? Down in your heart. Unless you don't, and then you feel a little guilty that, maybe, you're just not living the Christian life the way you're supposed to. But what if joy isn't just a feeling? What if you can experience joy AND pain at the same time? In this message, Max Vanderpool, tackles the second fruit of the Spirit - JOY - and offers practical advice for cultivating MORE of it in your life.
Addiction always starts with something that feels good, whether it's drugs, alcohol, sex/porn, social media, sugar, or gambling. That's because our brain releases dopamine - the chemical that makes us feel good and that tells us to do that again. That's why it is SO HARD to break an addiction. The other reason it's hard to break an addiction is because of the SHAME we feel. In this message, Max Vanderpool highlights the EVIL ALEXA we all have lurking inside of us - and how that factors in to add...
What would you have to do in order to have to APOLOGIZE to every single person you encountered at a public event, like a wedding? Can you imagine doing something SO BAD that it racked up millions of views and thousands of people were calling you the most despicable things? We have a problem in America, because we have become unforgiving. In this message, Max Vanderpool, makes a case for why forgiving others and forgiving yourself is a way to TAME shame.
The One Hundred Acre Wood has some characters: Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Kanga and Roo, Rabbit, Tigger, Owl, and Eeyore. And most of us can relate to ONE of these characters. But what do you do if you can related to Eeyore? What do you do if you struggle with depression? Can you be a Christian and actually be clinically depressed? In this message, Max Vanderpool teaches from John 15 about joy, happiness, sadness, and yes, even depression.
In 2019 America, everybody checks their brain at the door...and they tend to make their way through life following their heart (as best they can) and how they FEEL in any given day and in any given set of circumstances. But what IF you could enlist the help of your BRAIN to help you see yourself the way God sees you? What if your BRAIN could help you feel LESS shamed and MORE free?
There are certain words we don't say in polite company (vagina, masturbation), and there is an entire concept we don't talk about (ever) in America and the West: SHAME. Shame is one of the most powerful emotions we experience, because it is connected so strongly with our sense of WHO we are. In this message, Max Vanderpool makes a case for whey Jesus came to do MORE than just pay the penalty for our sin - he came to take our SHAME.
Most churches believe they are friendly, welcoming and inviting. But new folks can always give you the accurate picture of the degree to which those statements are true. God wants us to be a welcoming church - and inviting church - to such a degree that it's almost scandalous.
Idols. We TEND to think of stone or golden monkeys (or some sort of other fake deity) placed in a temple and worshipped by people wearing grass skirts (like on Gilligan's Island). But what if idols are MORE than just stone monkeys? What if they are ANYTHING we value more than we value God? Is it possible idols (in our homes, in our hearts, in our churches and in our nation) are what's ROBBING the Church of power today? In this message, Max Vanderpool attempts to explain the power of Acts 19.
What if God really is at work (already), everywhere? And what if every culture has something that points them to the truth? Would it make evangelism a little easier? Perhaps a little more authentic? In this message, Brian Hull unpacks (the Apostle) Paul's speech in Athens and how it provides us with some clues to make connections in our own culture today.
Charlotte Lacy share a report from the 2018 Alaska DTS (with Youth With a Mission) and gives and update to Generations.
It's really, really difficult to (correctly) guess who's going to sign on to Team Jesus and who, ultimately, is going to reject Jesus. Face it, just like Pastor Max, YOU are a bad guesser. And that's good news, because it's SCANDALOUS who receives grace and becomes a new person (sometimes). In this message, Max Vanderpool tries to set the stage for how unexpected and wondrous Acts 9 really is.
Why? Why do we have such a need to impress others? And we do we LIE in order to look better than we really are? In this message, Max Vanderpool teaches on the ultimate you can't fool God stories in the Bible - and why pretending to be something on the OUTSIDE that you aren't on the INSIDE is a really, really bad idea.
Do I have to do this alone? Can we do this together? Enter the Christian F-word: fellowship. Christians love to throw that word around (and even name parts of their buildings after it), but what does it really mean? Is it just hanging out or is there more to it than that? In this message, Brian Hull unpacks a critical trait of the church - a trait that created awe and wonder.
We often think of faith like a fuel tank. If your tank is FULL, you're going to GO places. If your tank is empty, you're probably not going to go anywhere, if at all. But what if that notion of faith is WRONG? What if even FUMES are enough - for the impossible? In this message, Max Vanderpool gives a state of the church and teaches from Mark 9.
Sheldon (from The Big Bang Theory) has a theory about gift-giving: it creates an OBLIGATION - now you have to reciprocate in an amount and type of gift that best fits or describes the relationship. But is that what giving is all about? What about the BEST GIFTS you have ever received? Were they awesome because they cost a LOT of money? In this message, Pastor Max unpacks John 1 - and what it really means for you and me.
What if the WAY we celebrate Christmas actually advances ANOTHER empire? What if the demands it places on us (go, go, go, buy, buy, buy, stress, stress, stress) don't have anything to do with Jesus and end up become just another set of heavy burdens? What if there is a BETTER WAY? In this message, Brian Hull contrasts the yoke of Jesus to the yoke of the Roman Empire...and what it means for Americans living in 2018.
Ever been to the mall at Christmas and find yourself wondering why you are there? If it's worth all the hassle, no parking spaces, crowds and frenzy? What about all the list-making? Did you get EACH of your sister's kids a gift? Is everything ready? WHY IS IT that Christmas feels so rushed, so frenzied, so NOT peaceful? In this message, Brian Hull unpacks the FIRST step anyone must take in order to begin experiencing PEACE at Christmas (or any other time of the year).
When we hanker after stuff that isn't ours, it often leads to breaking the other 9 Commandments. It's what opens the door for a husband to cheat on his wife or for another man to embezzle from his employer. And it's the thing that plays out in church nurseries throughout America when one child is playing with a toy - and another child sees it. Thou shalt not covet...explains the other 9 Commandments in retrospect.
Young children and old people have something in common: they have no filter. If they think it or feel it, they say it. And they will say something TRUE, even if it hurts someone else's feelings. In this message, Max Vanderpool unpacks the 9th Commandment: you must not bear false witness against your neighbor (or as we learned it: thou shalt not lie).
One of the first things you learn as a kid is possessive pronouns: mine, his, hers, ours, theirs. And you also learn pretty quick that your siblings, if you had any, are THIEVES. We all know that we're not supposed to steal (or take) what isn't ours. But is the 8th Commandment JUST about stealing? Or is there something MORE going on with what God desires?
If you've ever had to work on a GROUP PROJECT with your classmates, you may have decided you were better off doing it by yourself. But that kind of thinking won't help you accomplish ANYTHING of significance. In this teaching time from November 4th, Max Vanderpool explains why the Bible advocates for cooperation: God wants us to work together.
