Category Archive

Everyone has doubts. Where is God when bad things happen? Does God hear our prayers? Does God really love me? Is there a heaven? But questions and doubt are not the enemy of faith. They’re the path to a deeper faith. Come with us as we wrestle with faith together.

January 7, 2024 // Doubt and the Existence of God // Psalm 19:1-4a, Psalm 139:13-14a, Mark 9:24

For many people, seeing is believing. But if that’s your criteria for believing, it may be a stumbling block to belief in God. In week 1 of our series, we look at the question “does God exist, or is this just a myth we made up to make ourselves feel better?”

January 14, 2024 // Is the Bible True? // Psalm 119:105, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, John 14:6

The Bible is a collection of sixty-six books, composed and compiled over 2,000 years by at least 40 authors over 3 continents. John Wesley once said “the Bible contains everything necessary for salvation.” But many people wrestle with the authority and accuracy of the Bible. In week 2 of our series, we look at the question “Is the Bible true?”

January 21, 2024 // Is Jesus the Only Way? // 1 Timothy 2:3b-6a, John 14:1-6

Christians believe that if someone puts their faith in Jesus, they will go to heaven. We can’t do anything to earn our way to heaven, Jesus died for our sins and we only have to accept that free gift to find eternal life. But what happens to people of other faiths? Does God send them to hell? In week 3 of our series, we look at the question “Is Jesus the Only Way?”

January 28, 2024 // When Prayers Go Unanswered // Psalm 22:2, John 15:7, Luke 22:42

Heartfelt prayers for getting the job of your dreams, the spouse of your dreams, the healing of a sick loved one, or the reconciliation of a broken relationship do not always get answered the way we want. Or those prayers may not get answered at all. We all have experience with unanswered prayer. In week 4 of our series, we look at the question “why do my prayers go unanswered?

February 4, 2024 // Why Do the Innocent Suffer? // Genesis 1:27-28

People dying from natural disasters, children getting terminal illnesses, people dying of starvation, innocent people killed by gun violence or wars… there are many situations that make us wrestle with doubt when it comes to our faith. Many people wonder how a good and loving God can allow these things to happen. In week 5 of our series, we look at the question “why do the innocent suffer?”

Christians should be the most generous people on the planet because of God’s generosity toward us. We need to show our communities that our faith is more than just sermons and songs. In this series, we will explore the importance of giving, serving and loving in building the Kingdom of God.

November 5, 2023 // The Bridge Between Our Differences // Matthew 5:46–48

Jesus didn’t command us to agree with one another. We can disagree and love unconditionally. During Be Rich, our month-long generosity campaign, we remind our communities that everybody matters to God. Join us as we partner with some fabulous nonprofit organizations to meet critical needs in our communities.

November 12, 2023 // On Mission (Stewardship Sunday) // 1 Corinthians 16:1-4

Planned giving enables mission. Mission enable lives to be changed and communities to be transformed. This week, get a glimpse into what your life could be like and what church could be like if we established a giving plan. What if money finally stopped being an obstacle and became the ultimate opportunity?

Nearly everyone has heard of the Ten Commandments – the list of “thou-shalt-nots” found in the Bible. Jesus saw these commandments not as onerous burdens, but as guardrails to help us experience a good and beautiful life. Every “thou-shalt-not” points to a life-giving “thou shalt.” These ancient words were given by a loving God who longs to protect us from harm while pointing toward a deeply meaningful and joyful life.

August 20, 2023 // No Other Gods // Exodus 3:13-15, 20:2-3; John 11:25-26

In the 21st century, a god is anything that is the central focus in our lives. Many of our false gods are gifts from God that get misused – like money, sex, and power. Putting God first in our lives and allowing everything else to be subordinate to that puts everything right in our lives. So, what’s at the center of your life? What drives you? If it is not God, we need to refocus.

August 27, 2023 // Idols, Images and the Invisible God // Exodus 20:4-5, Exodus 32:1, 4-5, 7

For as long as human beings have been around, we have longed to see God. We want to see, feel and touch our gods. The ancient Egyptians made idols that not only came to represent their gods, but they believe they were the essence of their gods. The second Commandment, given to the Israelites during this time, forbids the creation of idols or images to represent God.

September 3, 2023 // Keeping Promises, Hallowing God’s Name // Exodus 20:7, Lev. 19:12, Matt. 5:33-37

Our personal names are important. They go hand in hand with our integrity and character. No one wants someone to steal their identity and tarnish their reputation. God feels the same way about his name. So the 3rd commandment says “Do not misuse the name of Yahweh your God.” Some of us were taught that this commandment is about profanity. But the primary lesson this commandment was teaching was about promise keeping and truth telling.

September 10, 2023 // Sabbath: Rest, Renewal, Reverence // Exodus 20:8-11

Setting a day aside each week for rest and renewal is essential to our well-being and helps us be intentional about how we use our time to live the balanced life God intends.

September 17, 2023 // A Question of Honor // Exodus 20:12; Matthew 15:1-9

Even if you did not grow up in the church, you have probably heard the fifth commandment to “honor your father and your mother.” Maybe your parents referenced this commandment when you did not obey them. Although this commandment is familiar, what does it look like to honor your parents?

September 24, 2023 // Do Not Kill: Overcoming Evil with Good // Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-22, 43-44

The sixth commandment, “do not murder,” seems straightforward at first. However, Jesus came along and broadened the meaning of this commandment; and we find that his words have implications far beyond the taking of another human life. So what does this commandment mean for us today?

October 1, 2023 // Do Not Commit Adultery; Be Faithful in Marriage // Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27-30

In ancient Israel, the seventh commandment – “do not commit adultery”- was framed as a sin against a married man committed by his wife and another man. However, Jesus came along and broadened the meaning of this commandment and we find that it means more than sleeping with someone who is not your spouse. So what does this commandment mean for us today?

October 8, 2023 // Do Not Steal // Exodus 20:15; Isaiah 10:1-2; Matthew 25:42-43

The eighth commandment, like several of the other commandments, might seem so irrelevant to us. Most of us would agree that stealing is wrong and we would never do it. But most of our images of stealing are related to shoplifting or somehow taking someone’s material possessions. But when properly understood, we have all violated the eighth commandment; and God is calling us to stop stealing.

October 15, 2023 // Honesty: You Must Not Bear False Witness // Exodus 20:16; Matt 26:59-61; Acts 1:8, James 1:26

The ninth commandment was about not bearing false witness in the courts of ancient Israel. The people of Israel were prohibited from making false accusations against one of their neighbors and fellow Israelites. Most of us reading this devotional would not go to court and make false accusations… so how does this commandment apply to us?

October 22, 2023 // Contentment: Do Not Covet // Deut. 5:21; Mark 4:18-19; Romans 13:8-10

The tenth commandment warns us not to covet. Coveting in the Hebrew Scriptures is defined as strongly desiring something; and in the New Testament as the desire to have more constantly. We all struggle with coveting in our lives. We all want the latest stuff and what our neighbors have that we don’t have. We convince ourselves that if we just had more stuff our lives would be better. However, Jesus tells us our lives do not consist in an abundance of possessions.

“At the Movies” is a fun summer series where we show movie clips from popular films along with a message that connects those popular movies with scripture. You probably don’t usually look to movies for life lessons, but take our word for it: sit back, relax, and hear a different perspective on how films can point us toward the gospel.

July 9, 2023 // The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical drama. After its release in theaters, the critical response to the film was mixed, but it was a major commercial success, becoming the number one box office film after four weeks, and the highest-grossing film of 1965. It’s the story of a young woman named Maria, who is studying to be a nun but is sent to be a governess to seven children for a retired naval officer and widower. So where does this film point us toward scripture?

July 16, 2023 // Chariots of Fire // 1 Corinthians 9:24-26; James 1:2-5; Psalm 37:23; Isaiah 40:31; Genesis 1:27; John 3:16; 1 Samuel 2:30

Chariots of Fire is a true story of two British athletes, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, who participate in the 1924 Olympics. Eric is a devoted Christian who runs for God’s glory. Harold is Jewish and he runs for acceptance in a culture that was prejudice toward people of his faith. The contrast in motives between Harold and Eric is very noticeable but you can sympathize with both men. So where does the movie point us toward scripture?

July 23, 2023 // Forrest Gump // John 13:34; Ecclesiastes 5:5; Romans 8:28; Luke 12:15; II Corinthians 9:8; Galatians 5:13; Matthew 18:2-3

Forrest Gump is a 1994 movie based on the 1986 novel of the same name written by Winston Groom. The movie tells the story of Forrest Gump, a very kindhearted man with a low IQ. The film follows several decades of his experiences in 20th century America. So where does the movie point us toward scripture?

July 30, 2023 // Beauty and the Beast (1991) // Philippians 2:3-8; John 15:13; Matthew 16:24-25, Matthew 25:34-40; 1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, 2 Corinthians 5:17

Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 animated Disney movie based on a 1740 French fairy tale of the same name. The movie focuses on the relationship between the Beast, a prince who is magically transformed into a monster and his servants into household objects as punishment for his arrogance, and Belle, a young woman who lives in a small French village. So where does this movie point us toward scripture?

When we go through a difficult season of life it can shake our faith, causing us to cry out to God. What are we to make of bad things happening to good people? In this three-week series we will explore the book of Job. When he is plunged into agony, Job, like us, is confused and angry, crying out to God in prayer. Two recurring things come out in Job’s story: Job says, “I don’t want to suffer without explanation, and I don’t want to suffer without vindication.” Join us as we learn a path through suffering from the book of Job.

June 18, 2023 // Questions of Suffering // Job 1:8-22

No book in all of literature addresses the questions of suffering and evil with the spiritual wisdom of the book of Job. In this sermon, we will look at how the Christian approach to suffering differs from both cynical and moralistic viewpoints. Christians are called to hold onto the mystery and stay in a relationship with a God we cannot control – but whose goodness we cannot doubt when we truly grasp the Gospel.

June 25, 2023 // Miserable Comforters // Job 5:1-7

How do you bear suffering? How do you get through the inevitable suffering that will come to you? The answer to that is comfort. In the book of Job, Job has three friends who show up and do an absolutely terrible job of comforting. Yet, even by looking at their terrible comfort, we’re going to learn something about the sources of comfort.

July 2, 2023 // My Servant Job // Job 38:1-3, 40:8-12, 42:1-10

Job is a man who is plunged into agony, and for chapter after chapter, Job is confused and angry, crying out to God in prayer. He longs to meet with God and prays that God would show up. And God does. This is the climax of the whole book. There are three things we’re going to learn about this final climactic appearance of God before Job – the argument of God, the silences of God, and God’s wonderful, terrible storm.

April 30, 2023 // First Steps // Romans 12:10, 14-17

Repairing a relationship requires someone to initiate, regardless of who’s to blame for the fallout. There’s a simple prayer you can learn to help you take that first step.

May 7, 2023 // The Man in the Mirror // Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 7:3-5

It’s human nature to blame the other person for a damaged relationship. We don’t believe we contributed to the problem at all. However, reconciliation requires an honest look in the mirror.

May 14, 2023 // The Posture of Reconcilation // Romans 5:10-11, 2 Corinthians 5:20–21

The more mature person typically makes the first move toward reconciliation. And that first move is rarely convenient.