One of the most known titles Jesus holds is the Prince of Peace. The question remains though - where’s the peace? In our Christmas Eve gathering we talked about what this title means, what this peace looks like and how you can experience that kind of peace by receiving Jesus as your King.
The prophet Isaiah said Jesus would be the Everlasting Father. That was true 700 years before he was born, true while He walked the earth and true today. In week 3 of our He Shall Be Called series we talk about what it would mean for Jesus to be your Everlasting Father today.
In week 3 of He Shall Be Called we explore the name Mighty God. What we find in this name is that Christmas is more than a precious story about a little baby asleep on the hay - Christmas is the story of the Mighty God putting on flesh and blood and declaring war on the darkness.
Christmas is a time to reflect on the impact that Jesus’ birth had on the world. It’s easy to think of it as an event that happened long ago but this newborn King’s impact reverberates even today and can make a dramatic difference in your life. In week 1 we talk about what it means for Jesus to be the Wonderful Counselor and how you can receive Him as this King.
Jesus’ call to last place living was more than just a posture we ought to take - it was Jesus’ leadership philosophy. In our final week of the Life in Last Place series we explore what leading from last place looks like, the adjustments we have to make in the process and how invested God is in the ways that all of us are leading.
Living in last place can be truly difficult day in and day out because so much of how we’re built is to fight for our own well being. In week 4 of our Life in Last Place series we uncover how gratitude is the most important practice we have in taking last place.
In week 3 of our Life in Last Place series we take a look at how Jesus’ used the power that God had given him, how we use the power we have and how we can leverage our power to live our lives in last place.
Jesus says that if you want to be great in his Kingdom you have to be last so he calls his followers to be servants of all. In week 1 of our Life in Last Place series we explore what it might mean to actually serve those we encounter in every single circumstance - even those we don’t think we should have to serve - and we explore what makes this so difficult.
We have become the church we dreamed of back in 2011 but every now and then as you enter a new season you begin to dream about what that next leg of the journey might look like. As we enter into the TheNext5 years we sense God expanding what the vision he gave us in the beginning might look like. On Sunday we shared the vision of Renew Communities for #TheNext5 years. Get all the details at thenext5.com .
Money is often the thing that clutters our soul the most. What if there was a way to simplify your life and unclutter your soul by giving away a percentage of what you make? In the final week of our Simplify series we talk about God's promise to provide and bless our opportunity to give back to him.
Millions of Americans are in deep debt - some to the point that it's crippling. In order to simplify your life you can't ignore your finances and in order to simplify your finances you must understand why your finances can get so far out of control. In week 6 of our Simplify series we diagnose where Debt comes from and work towards a treatment plan that connects you to God's vision for your life.
One of the most complicated aspects of life is money. We need it for everything we do and yet no matter how much you have there's always a feeling (or a temptation to believe) that you just don't have enough. If you want to live the life God's called you to live you need to simplify your relationship with money and that can only happen if you accept God for who He is and money for what it is. In week 5 of our Simplify series you get to decide will you follow Jesus or follow the money.
One of the hardest aspects of simplifying our lives and uncluttering our souls is knowing what to do with all the pain and hurt that has happened in the past but is still impacting our lives today. In week 4 of our Simplify series we take a look at how forgiveness works in God’s economy and very simple steps we can take to pursue wholeness through forgiveness and reconciliation.
Often what makes life so complicated is a lack of clear direction and a heart that will latch on to just about anything to take us into the future. In week 3 of the Simplify series we talk about how God can direct our steps, the ways we can hear and understand what he’s saying to us and how his word can light our way.
Relationships can get complicated quickly. Competing visions, misunderstanding, poor communication and selfishness can take those we are closest with and bring deep separation. Sometimes the undefined nature of our relationships can create confusion and unmet expectations can break our hearts. In week 2 of our Simplify series we focus on how we simplify our closest relationships through some of the most important conversations we can have with each other.
There’s an old saying that “speed kills” and for many of us this is true for our lives. Speed is killing our family, our dreams, our joy and so much more. Often we can convince ourselves that the answer would be more hours in a day or more days in a week but what if the answer isn’t more but less? What if the greatest need you have is the ability to focus on who you want to become so you can determine how you’re supposed to get there. In week 1 of our Simplify series we’ll talk about how you can...
In almost every letter Paul writes to different churches he thanks them for their support and Phillipians is no different - but here he shares some of what gives him the ability to carry on in the midst of adversity as he does he challenges the listeners to join him. In week 10 we learn about contentment, thanksgiving and why we should give what we have to give to God.
One of the great promises of faith in Jesus is soul peace. Paul tells us that this kind of peace will guard our hearts and our minds. As nice as all that sounds many of us aren’t really experiencing any peace but Paul gives us some things that seem to need a part of our life first in order to really experience this kind of peace. In week 9 we look at these elements of peace and why they might just be what you’re looking for as you fight for peace.
You may not realize this but following Jesus is a team sport. Sure it’s something that is deeply personal but it’s also something that we do with every other person who had placed their faith in Jesus and because of that we need to realize their are people ahead of you that you can follow and people behind you that are counting on you to keep fighting onward. In week 8 we talk about where our focus often goes, how this keeps us from growing in our faith and how crucial it is to everyone else tha...
So much focus in the Christian life is on sin. We focus on the sins Jesus saves us from, we focus on the sins we still struggle with. We focus a lot on sin. You might find that it’s especially difficult to feel joy when your so focused on your sin - but Paul calls us to rejoice as he begins chapter 3 and the reason he says we can rejoice is because of who you are right now in this moment and who you are becoming. In week 7 we talk about who you are, who you are becoming and why that should bring...
We’re all in process - we’re all working things out - and the same is true for how we live as Christians in the real world. In week 6 we look at how Paul tells us to work out our salvation and what it might look like for you to do that right where you live today!
Have you ever wondered how Jesus would live your life? How would he treat your spouse, work at your job and interact with your family? Paul challenges us in the middle of chapter 2 to have the SAME mindset as Jesus - and while most Christians love this passage the invitation is WILD! In week 5 we talk about the mindset of Jesus, how it plays out in our lives today and the impact it will have today and into eternity if we do.
As we enter into chapter 2 Paul asks the listener to reflect on what they have because of their connection to Christ. It’s funny to think that somehow we could take the greatest sacrifice ever made and the most transforming connection we’ve ever had for granted - and yet it seems we do. In week 4 we slow down and reflect on what we have in Christ - that’s it- we’ll just recognize who we are and why as we look to the impact Jesus makes on our lives.
Paul is convinced that he is in jail not just for preaching the Gospel but so that the Gospel can move forward throughout the world - that somehow his suffering brings about new life & movement. What if that could be true for you? We all suffer throughout life but what if the true purpose of suffering in the life of a Christ follower is to somehow advance the Gospel through that suffering. To do that though we have to have the right perspective. In week 3 we’ll talk about how a Christian sho...
As you read through Philippians you get a clear understanding that Paul really loves the people in this church and prays significant prayers for them. In week 2 of our series we dig into what he’s been praying for the church of Philippi and talk about the importance of it being answered today in our church. This is a significant topic because it offers us timely insight into how we can respond to current events, personal tension and the SCOTUS recent ruling on marriage. Jump in to see how you ca...
Many of us think of today as a final destination - that somehow the way things are right now are the way things will always be - but God has an eternal view. From the day you meet Jesus he’s working on you, on your heart on who you are and who you will be and no matter how things are going today - good or bad - he’s not finished. In week 1 we’ll kick of our summer through Philippians by asking what God’s doing, what he wants to do, where you’ve been and what might be keeping you from where you n...
In week 5 of our Rhythms of Life we talk about the importance of prayer in our daily lives. There's plenty that you can accomplish in your daily life on your own but prayer connects our daily activities to the power of God. We share why we should pray or learn some good methods to practice prayer and invite you pick one method to practice this week as part of our Rhythm of Renewal.
Every Christian is a missionary sent to carry the Hope we’ve found back to the places we live, work & play. We do this by actively loving our neighbors – those we are living next to – through intentional blessing and sharing with them the hope we have found in Christ. On Sunday we were joined by Mark Stockeland of Haiti Bible Mission to talk about practical ways to show the love of Christ to people we live, work and play with.
God has made us with an innate desire for connection because we are made in His image. What if connecting with others is the answer to the biggest challenges we face as individuals? What if there was a way to not just connect but offer healing and acceptance. In week 2 of our Rhythms of Life series we talk about the "EAT" aspect of our rhythm and the power of the open table.
