Freedom to be the Church
I have a confession to make. For at least half of my life, I really didn’t understand why we “went to church.” I had no vision for anything other than simply trying to please God. Consequently, church for me was … boring. Church struck me as a place where my family was obligated to act happier and holier than we actually were. Can you relate?
What I wish I had understood earlier in my life is that the Christian call to be part of a church community is actually an invitation into a powerfully meaningful life. We all know community is essential. But do we know why? The simple truth is that the Church is God’s plan "A" for bringing healing and restoration to our lives and to our world. So join us Sunday as we dive into what it means to be "Free to be the Church!"
Topics: Freedom, The Church, Unity
Free To Love
On Sunday, we learned from Paul and the Galatians about all the things we are free from as followers of Jesus. “Freedom from” a crucial step in our spiritual journey, but eventually we have to move on to focusing on “freedom to,” which is all about creating. This is where we get to focus on God’s preferred future. Freedom TO is about going through the right doors at the right time for the right reasons. This Sunday, we focus on the "freedom to" life, and learn from Jesus himself just how life-giving spiritual freedom can be.
Topics: Freedom, healing, Holy Choice
Freedom From
Egypt. Babylon. Exile. These are the terms of captivity that show up over and over again in the story of God. Why? Because God's people spend a lot of time stumbling in the dark of captivity, unable to embrace a "freedom to" life. This Sunday, we'll talk about how to gain "freedom from" so we can live the better half of the good news about Jesus. And it IS great news! Christ longs to fill our emptiness with his Holy Spirit, who brings with him the freedom we long for. Let's continue on this road to freedom, friends. I'll see you Sunday! (now you get to say, "Sounds great! Let's go!")
Topics: Chaos, Freedom From Bad Religion, Trying too hard
Freedom From, Freedom To
We know the invitation to follow Jesus is an invitation into freedom, but too often we put the emphasis on things we are free FROM. We are free FROM guilt, sin, shame ... all the bad things. Of course, it's good to let go of things that have not worked for us, but we do the greatest disservice to Christianity when we make it only a list of things we have to stop doing in order to go with God when the Christian walk offers so much more than just "freedom from." Our faith is very much a freedom TO enterprise. We do the greatest disservice to Christianity when we make it a list of things we have to stop doing in order to go with God. Paul tells us that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. That's an invitation to explore possibilities.
So let's do that this month! Let's take a few weeks to talk about the things we are free from and how that frees us up to creatively explore all we have been set free TO. Let's look together at what freedom looks like for us especially in this season, and just imagine what God can do! Can't wait to get started!
In a Broken World …
Our message this Sunday will speak to the heart of our mission: "In a broken world, we help people become whole through Jesus."
Law & Grace
This Sunday well finish our series on Ezra with a word on the need for discernment and the discipline of waiting on the Lord. Because like a pendulum, the world seems to swing from one extreme to another. We desperately need to develop real discernment. Amidst a fast-paced and distracted culture, discernment requires a willingness to wait on the Lord. For most of us, waiting on the Lord sounds passive, and ... boring. However, what if waiting is our best opportunity to bring our most authentic selves before God? What if it also opens the door for us to participate in God’s solutions to the world’s problems? What if God’s ways are worth the wait? Join us Sunday and we'll explore those questions and so much more.
Topics: Discernment, Grace, Law, Presence
Bringing Order Out of Chaos
How often do you feel overwhelmed by the chaos in our world? It's easy to find ourselves living in the tension between order and chaos, healing and brokenness. We want to do something to make it right, don't we? Not only in the world, but our worlds. What if the only thing that will bring order out of chaos is God's presence? What if the only thing we can do is lean in and join God where he is already working? That's what we find in Ezra 7 & 8. Join us this Sunday and to discover your own unique thirst for God's presence, a presence that brings healing into our lives and the lives of those around us.
What’s Your Story?
Been to the movies lately? Or streamed one? A really good one? Ones of those stories that tug at your heartstrings? One of those stories that bring tears to your eyes? One of those stories that stirs your soul? Have you ever wondered why it impacts us that way? Why can we watch that kind of story over and over again? Get the answer this Sunday as we look at chapters 5 and 6 of Ezra. What? Ezra? Really? You have got to be kidding, right? Nope, that’s what we will discover.
Topics: Community, Connection, Purpose, Stories
How Does God Treat His Enemies
This week, Katherine is preaching on a chapter that the Bible Project calls "a really strange story." And she's really excited about it! As we walk through Ezra 4, we'll see how conflict between the Israelites and their enemies stops their plans. The Temple isn't the only thing that's broken, and there's a lot more that needs to be rebuilt. Fear and anger destroy relationships too. While people are busy with fighting and division, what is God up to? Join us Sunday to find out! Come ready for healing and with hearts of pray
Topics: Conflict Resolution, Reconciliation
Ready to Rebuild
The story in the book of Ezra represents a significant milestone in Israel's history. After 70 years in exile -- in a fractured land of foreign gods -- the people God chose to model faith were sent home to rebuild. They began by restoring the altar. In a significant story with a significant milestone, that's a significant thing to start with! Altars are a big deal, especially in the Hebrew world. Altars are where miracles happen, where healing happens, where atonement happens ... where people meet with God. And what is true in the stories God's first people is still true today. Altars are where transformation happens and where life begins. I look forward to meeting you at the altar.