The Gospel states that we are loved by Jesus and set free from sin. How does that truth impact how you live your life? Pastor Noel Jesse Heikkinen shares the first of our core values: that we are committed to being Gospel focused and motivated. As followers of Jesus, we are called to let go of our selfishness in order to love others like Jesus has loved us.
As a church family, we are called to love God and love others. How have we as a church failed in that? Pastor Noel Jesse Heikkinen shares our new mission statement and invites you to step into this new season together with us. At Riv, we invite everyone to know and enjoy Jesus as we stumble together in our pursuit to love like Him.
As believers, we can be confident in the eternity secured for us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. How can the way we view the end of our lives change the way we live in the present? Pastor Tony Pyle reminds us that our faithfulness and ministry can be empowered by our trust in Jesus and His promises.
God has put a longing for eternity and perfection in our hearts. How do you seek to fill that longing? Drew Ansley, pastor at Refuge Detroit, challenges our view of eternity and asks if we are truly living with an understanding of what has been purchased and promised for those who have placed their faith in Jesus.
When we live our lives in service to God, we aren't earning His love, but returning love to the One who loved us first. Do you believe God is not only concerned with our earthly bodies, but how we use them to worship Him? Dan Eytcheson reminds us that although our bodies are limited because of sin, we can find comfort in the eternity promised to us through Christ. God's ultimate plan is to resurrect our broken bodies into a perfect everlasting where sin and death will be no more.
The glory awaiting us in eternity is wonderful and unimaginable. Do you believe that death is not the end of our existence, but the beginning of our transition into a new world? Pastor James Granger reminds us that one day, when we are united with Christ, sin will be no more and we will be made whole in Him. How are you living today in light of the eternal life that awaits you?
We tend to focus more on the shape and extent of our sin than the enormity of God's grace and forgiveness. How do you view yourself in relation to your actions? Pastor Justin Detmers reminds us that by receiving God's forgiveness, we have a new reality. And just as we are loved and forgiven by God, as His children we can love and forgive others in the same way.
When we see the depth of our sin, we become increasingly aware of both the ways we are broken and the grace we have received though Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Have you accepted the freedom offered to you, or do you find yourself feeling stuck in your attempt to be good enough? Pastor Tony Pyle reminds us that the goal of our lives is not to be a good person, but to be loved by God.
It is ofter easier to cancel someone than to forgive them. Are you afraid that forgiving someone will give them the power to hurt you again? Young Yi reminds us that while forgiveness is difficult and can take years, avoiding it can lead to pain and resentment. The tactic of the enemy is to divide the people of God, and it is through forgiveness that we are reconciled to one another.
We all have different circles of relationships and people in our lives. How do you care for and prioritize the others in your life? Pastor Noel Jesse Heikkinen challenges us to consider how we can reorder our lives around prioritizing community. The calling of all followers of Jesus is to serve one another through love, and come alongside those in our family who are struggling.
The church is made up of imperfect people striving after Jesus. How do you view other followers of Jesus in your life? Pastor Noel Jesse Heikkinen reminds us that despite our differences and our failures, we are called to pursue unity with other Christians. We are a set apart people of Jesus, called to gather together, so that the world can see how much Jesus loves them.
The Holy Spirit brings order and wholeness where there was once chaos. Do you find yourself feeling empty or without purpose in life? Pastor Justin Detmers reminds us that because we have the Spirit living and active within our hearts and lives at all times, we are never alone. When we seek God, our purpose in life becomes more about serving and loving others than fulfilling the desires of our flesh.
Our selfish desires and actions are a natural outflow of our hearts without the Spirit of God. Do you feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life and heart? Pastor Tony Pyle reminds us that as we continue to live our lives for Christ, the Holy Spirit guides us to look more like Jesus. Instead of living in the flesh, we are called to live by the fruit of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is everywhere, all the time. Do you believe that the Spirit of God is present in your life? Pastor James Granger encourages us that as followers of Christ we are never alone; the Holy Spirit is always present and active in our lives. Just as we are filled with the Spirit, let's walk by the Spirit so we can guide others into truth, provide comfort to those in distress, intercede for others in prayer, and glorify Jesus in everything that we do.
The return of Jesus is something that Christ followers have been awaiting for 2000 years. Do you believe Jesus will return? Pastor Noel Jesse Heikkinen encourages us that as followers of Christ, we can patiently and confidently wait for Jesus' return. His grace that saved us is the same grace that gives us power to overcome temptation and is the same grace that will give us new life at the end of time when He returns.
After Jesus rose from the dead, He ascended to Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father. Do you believe that? Pastor Noel Jesse Heikkinen reminds us that Jesus left Earth so that we might be filled with the Holy Spirit to carry out the sharing of the Gospel. Jesus is still at work in our lives and in the world.
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless because we are still in our sin. Are you searching for meaning and hope, when what we ultimately need is forgiveness? Pastor Noel Heikkinen reminds us that the resurrection of Jesus was not only the most important moment in history, but continues to have implications on our daily lives. Because Jesus rose from the dead and has forgiven our sins, we can put our hope in him for today and for eternity.
After the difficulties many of us faced in 2021, what can we be looking forward to, where is our hope, as we head into a new year? Pastor James Granger reminds us that no matter our circumstances, the truth that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again is unwavering. Because He rose again, we can put our trust and hope in Him.
The resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Do you believe Jesus rose from the dead? Pastor Tyler St. Clair from Cornerstone Church Detroit encourages us that Christ's resurrection redeems our past, secures our future, and empowers our present. Because Jesus rose again, you can stand firm on the Gospel and be unshakeable.
What we believe matters and impacts how we live. Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins? Pastor Justin Detmers reminds us that our belief in Jesus as our Savior changes how we live here and now, and where we spend eternity. Jesus suffered and died for us, and it is through His sacrifice that we have been given grace to live differently today and the opportunity to spend eternity with Him.
The suffering, crucification, and death of Jesus is the turning point in history for the life of a Christ follower. Do you believe Jesus died for your sins? Pastor James Granger reminds us that through the death of Jesus, we can be reconciled to God. And once we’ve been reconciled to God, we can continue to draw near to Him in full assurance of faith.
The suffering of Jesus is good news because it tells us that God understands suffering. Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins? Pastor Tony Pyle reminds us that our belief in God does not protect us from suffering, but it does give us a greater hope to hold on to. God knows your brokenness and hurt and we are understood and seen in our pain by our suffering savior Jesus.
When we see miracles in the Bible, it often takes a lot of faith to believe them as true. Do you struggle to believe in the miracles found in Scripture? Adam Burmeister shares that the birth, life, and death of Jesus are all signs of how powerful and gracious God has been and continues to be toward us as His children. Because God is Lord over all, we can trust in Him and place our hope in Him.
The life of a Christ follower is marked by faith in the seemingly impossible. Do you believe in the virgin birth of Jesus? As we approach Christmas, TJ Auten reminds us that if Jesus wasn't conceived by the Holy Spirit, then He is not God, and the Gospel wouldn't provide salvation. But the good news is that Jesus was born into humiliation, ultimately to die in humiliation for us so that we might have new life in Him.
Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. This truth isn't a myth, it's supernatural and it is a fact, but do you ever have a hard time believing it? Pastor Noel Jesse Heikkinen reminds us that if Jesus wasn't conceived by the Holy Spirit, then He is not God, and the Gospel wouldn't provide salvation. The life of a Christ follower is marked by faith in the seemingly impossible work of God.
Over and over again, Jesus proved Himself as the Son of God, come to save the world. Who do you believe Jesus to be? Pastor Noel Jesse Heikkinen reminds us that God has proven Himself to us in Jesus. Jesus became sin, and all the evil of the world, in order to save us.
Jesus is not only the Son of God, but the Lord over all Creation. Do you believe that truth? Young Yi shares that while knowing who Jesus is is important, that knowledge isn't the end of it. We must know why we believe in Him. In faith, we place our hope in Jesus because of the sacrifice He made on the cross, conquering sin, satan, and death. It is in believing this truth that we can be a part of the family of God through Jesus.
We have lots of short little statements of beliefs surrounding us and in Christianity we also tend to pick and choose what we want to believe in Christianity. What is it that you believe as true? Pastor Noel Jesse Heikkinen starts our series in the Apostles’ Creed by reminding us that our belief is not our opinion, rather it is us staking our lives and eternity on something that is true whether someone else believes in it or not.
As followers of Christ we are called to live in peace with those who differ from us, but that doesn't mean it's always easy. How do you engage those who have different beliefs and perspectives from you? Frank Tan encourages us to pursue peace by recognizing our own blindspots, listening before speaking, and seeing things from other perspectives.
It is unity within diversity that defines the Church. Do you view yourself and others who are different from you as united under the Gospel of Jesus? Pastor Tony Pyle closes out our series in Romans by reminding us that nothing else comes close to the worth and value of the Gospel in our lives.
