As we continue in The Book of Malachi, we learn that the Israelites were giving God their leftover animals as sacrifices. While we're not in the business of offering up animal sacrifices today, we can still be guilty of giving God our second best. Are you giving God your leftovers? Join Will Herron, Ridge Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss how we can cultivate a heart of love for God that motivates us to give God our best. Read the Beyond the Sermon dev...
Jan 15, 2024•19 min
The first few verses of Malachi 1 tells us this: God loves us. A few verses later, though the question is turned: Do we love God? If we read on, Malachi reveals that love isn’t just a word or a feeling. It’s something you can see. If you love somebody, it shows. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Malachi 1:6–14 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox....
Jan 15, 2024•23 min
Within the first few words of the book of Malachi, God is reminding the Israelites of His love for them. God loves us in the same way yet sometimes it's easy to forget. Sometimes miss the various ways He expresses that love in our lives. Join Will Herron, Ridge Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss ways in which we can remain aware of God's presence and provision in our lives in the coming year. Resources: The New Bible Commentary , How Not to Read the Bib...
Jan 08, 2024•19 min
Malachi 1 tells us this: God loves us. Loved, that’s where we begin with God. We’re told that. We’ve heard that. And we know it, yet it is such an easy thing to forget. So, how do we remind ourselves of something so important? How do we live in the light of God’s love? Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Malachi 1:1–5 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox....
Jan 08, 2024•29 min
If you've spent any amount of time in a church you've probably heard it said, "God loves you". For something so familiar to so many, it is puzzling as to why many still struggle to truly believe it. Why is this so? How can we truly know and experience God's love in our lives? Join Will Herron, Ridge Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Ministry and Leadership Director, Julie Wiemann, as they kick off the new year exploring these questions and more. Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the...
Jan 01, 2024•20 min
Though there are innumerable things the Bible teaches us, we’ll narrow the focus to three things to remember as we walk with God in 2024. Message by Will Herron Scripture referenced: Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox.
Jan 01, 2024•29 min
The Christmas star. Shepherds left their flocks and fields to find Jesus. The Magi went to look for him. But how did they know who Jesus was and where to find him? And how do we? Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Luke 2, Matthew 2 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox....
Dec 25, 2023•27 min
It's not uncommon to see a manger scene this time of year. Whether it's a decorative set on a mantel or a Christmas card sent by a friend, we are used to seeing various depictions of the scene of Jesus' birth. But, if we are not careful, over familiarity can lead to our losing our sense of wonder and gratefulness over God's gift in Jesus. So how can we maintain a sense of awe and gratefulness of God's great gift? And how can God's movement toward us change how we engage with others? Join Will He...
Dec 18, 2023•16 min
The Nativity. It’s one of the most recognizable and most popular scenes of Christian art that recounts the birth of Jesus and His adoration. You know the elements: the baby Jesus in a manger, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, angels, cattle, sheep, a donkey, and often wise men. But is this fully accurate? And how does knowing this story and our familiarity with it impact our lives today? Message by Doug Applegate Scripture referenced: Luke 2:4-7, 16, 20 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the...
Dec 18, 2023•33 min
The Christmas season can evoke a mixture of memories and emotions. For some, it truly is "the most wonderful time of the year" but for others, loss, loneliness and relational dysfunction are magnified amidst the festivities. Join Will Herron, Ridge Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore how the message of Christmas can speak lasting hope into our lives whatever our experience within the season. Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the devotional eac...
Dec 11, 2023•19 min
Christmas is full of beauty and grace. It brings peace and comfort, reassurance of God’s profound love for us. That’s the story we tell. And it’s true. But there’s something — someone — we often overlook. Herod. When he realized he had been tricked by the wise men who came seeking the newborn king, in fury, Herod killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under. That first Christmas was filled with pain, suffering and hurt. And there has been weeping each Christmas...
Dec 11, 2023•23 min
In our final episode in the Habbakuk series, we turn our attention to joy. In contrast to happiness, joy is not something dictated by circumstance but a permanent underlying presence in our life. But how and where can we find such joy? Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they explore how Habbakuk found joy in the midst of serious challenge and hardship. Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals : Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Bey...
Dec 04, 2023•19 min
Have you ever asked God for something or been in a situation you knew God had the capacity to do something, but He didn’t? That’s where Habakkuk is here in the last verses of chapter 3. So what does he do? What do we do in those situations? Hint: We find joy. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 3:12–19 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox...
Dec 04, 2023•26 min
For many of us, forgetfulness is an unwelcome attribute we live with. Whether we are naturally prone to it or we just get distracted with the business of life, it's easy for us forget who God is and what He has done. So how can we become a people of remembrance rather than forgetfulness? And how does remembering help us navigate the difficult seasons in our lives? Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss why remembering what God has done is ...
Nov 27, 2023•20 min
Life was hard enough for Habakkuk, and then he got even more bad news. What do we do when life is like that? It’s so easy to get consumed by problems, responsibilities, pain, suffering. Challenges distract us and cause us to forget when what we should be doing is remembering. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 3:1–11 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox....
Nov 27, 2023•28 min
You don't have to look far in the Bible to see people worshipping idols. Whether it's statues of wood, figures carved into stone, or a golden calf, ancient people displayed a tendency to elevate such things to a god-like status. Not many people in our region are doing this today, so why is the topic of idols still relevant? What does idolatry look like in the modern day, and how do we go about identifying and freeing ourselves from idolatry in our own lives? Join Will Herron, Director of Discipl...
Nov 20, 2023•18 min
We left off in chapter two of Habakkuk after looking at the Biblical definitions of discipline and wrath. We pick up in verse five, which gives some insight into why God was about to release His wrath on the Israelites, handing them over to the Babylonians. Hint: It has something to do with idol worship. But if we aren’t creating golden calves or primitive statues today, is this really relevant to us today? Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 2:5–19 Read the Beyond the Sermon...
Nov 20, 2023•25 min
It is both encouraging and mind blowing to think that the God of the universe is working in our lives today. And yet what does that work look like exactly? How can we grow to acknowledge and respond to it? Join Ridge Marketing and Communication Director, Dayne Logan, and BTS host Will Herron, as they reflect on God's loving work in our lives and explore how we can learn to embrace it even when it's challenging. Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to rec...
Nov 13, 2023•19 min
The God of the universe, the creator of the cosmos, is at work in our lives. But what does that look like exactly? We’ll look at some of the major events in the life of Moses in the early chapters of Exodus. Because turns out, God works in similar ways today as He did back then. Message by Will Herron Scripture referenced: Exodus 2, 3 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox....
Nov 13, 2023•28 min
One of the dangers we can fall into in reading the Bible is reading it selectively. We dwell on the passages we are comfortable with and ignore those that raise questions and challenge us. In particular, passages that deal with God's wrath and judgement take a back seat to famous verses like John 3:16. So how do we go steer away from selective reading of the Bible and engage with every part as the inspired word of God? Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Mike Van Rees as they discuss...
Nov 06, 2023•21 min
Habakkuk chapter two. Full disclosure: It's a challenging chapter. Here at The Ridge, we are committed to teaching through the Bible in its entirety. Because if we don't know the hard parts, we don't know the whole story. Habakkuk chapter two centers on two words: discipline and wrath. We'll examine the Biblical definitions of these words, what they mean and how all of this applies to us today. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 2:5–15 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals ...
Nov 06, 2023•25 min
Recent technological advances have done much to speed up the world. Just a few clicks on our phone and we can order our groceries, binge our favorite TV shows, and DoorDash our favorite meals. But have you ever thought to consider what effect this hyper efficiency may be having on our ability to be patient? Particularly when it comes to waiting on God? Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Mike Van Rees as they discuss how we can learn to navigate seasons of waiting on God. Read the Be...
Oct 30, 2023•21 min
Here’s what we know so far: In Habakkuk chapter one, things are happening in the world that Habakkuk doesn’t understand. He is witness to extreme suffering, in justice and spiritual apathy. He cries out in frustration and desperation. God answers but not in the way Habakkuk wants or expects. Yet God has a plan. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 1:12–2:4 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in yo...
Oct 30, 2023•28 min
Featured stories and testimonies of God’s goodness, His provision and the life transformation that has taken place over the past 25 years told by those who have lived it out. There is much to commemorate and celebrate. Happy Anniversary, Ridge. Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox....
Oct 25, 2023•42 min
The subject of God's sovereignty can give rise to lots of questions. If God is all powerful, why do we see so much suffering in the world? If God is truly sovereign, why doesn't he intervene to rescue us from hardships more often? Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Mike Van Rees as they explore how we can approach these kinds of questions while also experiencing peace and hope in the knowledge of God's sovereignty. Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each wee...
Oct 16, 2023•20 min
The truth of God’s sovereignty can cause us to ask: If God is all powerful, why do we see so much suffering in the world? Why doesn’t He intervene? Why? In his questioning, Habakkuk leads us to the answer. Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 1:5–11 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox....
Oct 16, 2023•29 min
When we hear of idols or idolatry, visions of primitive people gathered around a statue can come to mind. It's easy to assume that when the Bible speaks of idols, it's something of the past. Thousands of years later, however, the subject of idols proves to be as relevant as ever. Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Marketing and Communication Manager Dayne Logan as they discuss identifying idols in our lives as well as why giving God control is the way to true life. Read the Be...
Oct 09, 2023•19 min
What does Israel’s struggle with idols and idolatry have to do with us today? We don’t carve idols out of wood or cast them out of metal. Maybe not. But the subject of idols still proves to be as relevant as ever. Message by Dayne Logan Scripture referenced: Isaiah 44:13–20 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox....
Oct 09, 2023•23 min
In the first chapter of Habakkuk, the prophet is crying out to God in the midst of doubt and confusion. As believers, how can we use doubt and confusion as a positive in our relationship with God? Join Will Herron, Director of Discipleship, and Ridge Lead Pastor Mike Van Rees as they discuss the ways in which doubt and lament play essential roles in a healthy relationship with God. Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blo...
Oct 02, 2023•20 min
Habakkuk is struggling to reconcile a good God with the pervasiveness of the pain, evil and suffering around Him. In Chapter 1 of Habakkuk, we see him cry out to God. So, what does God do with Habakkuk's questions and doubt and confusion? What can we, as followers of Jesus, learn from His response? Message by Mike Van Rees Scripture referenced: Habakkuk 1:1–4 Read the Beyond the Sermon devotionals . Get the devotional each week! Sign up to receive the Beyond the Sermon blog in your inbox....
Oct 02, 2023•27 min
