In our hyper-connected world, we've mastered the art of feeling close to people we'll never truly know—celebrities, influencers, even AI chatbots. We know their pets' names, follow their daily lives, and feel genuine emotion when they experience milestones. Yet this phenomenon of 'parasocial relationships' reveals something profound about our spiritual lives: we can know about God without actually knowing God intimately. Ephesians 4:1-6 calls us beyond mere proximity to true intimacy, urging us to live worthy of our calling not through performance, but through embracing who we already are in Christ. The passage reveals that our identity flows from being 'bond servants'—not prisoners of obligation, but people who have found true freedom by being tethered to Jesus. When we're secure in being chosen, adopted, redeemed, sealed, raised, and seated with Christ, we stop grasping for significance and start living from it. The transformative invitation here is to move from trying harder to trying softer—to stop manufacturing worth and start receiving it. This journey from false identities rooted in what we do, what others think, or what we've experienced, to our true identity as beloved children of God, becomes the foundation for genuine unity in the body of Christ. When we know who we are, we can be humble, gentle, and patient with others because we're no longer defending a fragile sense of self. The Vision for 2026 isn't about doing more for God but becoming who we already are in Him—a shift that could transform our workplaces, neighborhoods, marriages, and city itself.
This documentary is a sacred reflection on ten years of God’s faithfulness in and through A Seattle Church. What began in living rooms and moments of uncertainty became a deeply rooted community committed to loving Jesus, one another, and this city. Through seasons of healing, growth, loss, and renewal—including the challenges of pandemic and transition—we see a church choosing depth over speed and presence over performance. These stories remind us that ASC was never built by strategy alone, but by people who kept showing up, trusting God, and refusing to give up on Seattle. On this Sabbath Sunday, we pause not to strive or produce, but to remember—bearing witness to what God has done and resting in the truth that He is still at work among us.
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This exploration of Revelation 12 shatters our cozy nativity expectations and confronts us with the raw spiritual warfare surrounding Christ's birth. We encounter a cosmic drama: a radiant woman adorned with sun, moon, and twelve stars—representing Mary, Israel, and the Church—standing vulnerable yet victorious against a terrifying seven-headed dragon. The passage reveals that images penetrate our hearts 60,000 times faster than words, which is why God chose to communicate through such vivid prophetic pictures. The dragon represents complete earthly power—wealth, strength, authority—yet this monster is defeated by a fragile newborn and a surrendered woman. This paradox becomes our greatest hope: surrendered weakness always wins. The accuser who prosecutes us day and night with evidence of our failures has been 'hurled down' six times over. His case is dismissed by the blood of the Lamb and our testimony. We're invited to survey our broken decisions and failures, then daringly declare, 'I am the disciple Jesus loves.' Between Christ's first advent and His return, we live in the gap where evil looks powerful but has already lost. Our calling is to remind ourselves and each other of what is 'true true'—not what appears true, but what is eternally real. When we know God's love is richer than our sin is strong, mercy can afford to laugh at judgment.
We all hear voices—some encouraging, some condemning, some tempting us away from who we truly are in Christ. This powerful exploration of 1 Peter 5:6-11 invites us into the reality of spiritual warfare, not as something sensational or terrifying, but as the everyday battle for our minds, identities, and hope. The passage reveals a crucial distinction we desperately need: the difference between conviction and condemnation. Jesus offers loving accountability that says 'you did wrong, but there's hope for restoration,' while the accuser whispers lies that say 'you are wrong, beyond repair, worthless.' Learning to discern between these voices becomes the battlefield where freedom is won or lost. Peter writes to scattered believers facing persecution, offering them seven practices for engaging spiritual warfare: embracing humility under God's mighty hand, casting anxiety on the One who cares for us, exposing the enemy's tactics, enduring through resistance, enlisting community support, employing the weapons of grace and truth, and experiencing the victory already secured in Christ. The message challenges our modern church's lack of discernment—we've become either obsessed with demons or completely dismissive of spiritual realities. Yet the truth calls us to a sober, steady faith that acknowledges the battle while remaining confident in the Victor. When we remember our identity as beloved children of God, when we confess our struggles to trustworthy community, when we fill our lives with worship, prayer, obedience, and Scripture rather than leaving empty space for darkness to return—we walk in the freedom Christ has already won for us.
This powerful exploration of James chapters 1 and 2 challenges us to move beyond passive Christianity into lived faith. We're confronted with a penetrating question: Are we merely collecting spiritual knowledge like unused gym memberships, or are we actually living transformed lives? The message cuts through the comfortable distance many of us maintain between belief and action, revealing that authentic faith isn't just intellectual agreement—it's embodied reality. James, the brother of Jesus who himself underwent radical transformation from skeptic to believer, refuses to let us settle for half the gospel. While we're saved by grace through faith alone, that kind of faith inevitably works itself out in tangible ways. The sermon uses the metaphor of signing up for guitar lessons but never actually playing—we didn't sign up for religious theory; we signed up for transformation. Through examining how we speak, how we care for the vulnerable, and how we pursue holiness, we discover that integrity is the intersection where our beliefs and our lives meet. This isn't about adding more religious tasks to our to-do lists; it's about becoming conduits of God's grace, allowing what we've received to overflow into action. The mirror question haunts us: What is the Spirit showing us that we keep walking away from? What would change in our world if we stopped debating 500-year-old theological arguments and simply lived out faith that works?
What if the greatest barrier to spiritual transformation isn't our city, our circumstances, or our busy schedules—but our own apathy? This profound exploration of 2 Timothy chapters 1 and 2 challenges us to reconsider what it means to be disciples who make disciples in a culture that tells us it's impossible. We're confronted with the reality that Jesus' final words—the Great Commission to go and make disciples—have often become our 'great omission.' The intimate relationship between Paul and Timothy reveals a beautiful pattern: discipleship flows in all directions. We need people to look up to, peers to walk alongside, and younger believers to invest in. The passage reminds us that genuine discipleship requires three essential elements that counter our spirit of timidity: power, love, and self-discipline. Like an acorn that must be completely broken open to become an oak tree, we're called to die to ourselves so that generations can find life through our faithfulness. The imagery is striking—for a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. To someone who doesn't understand growth, it looks like destruction. But this is precisely how the kingdom advances: through our willingness to let our shells crack, our insides pour out, and our lives become seedbeds for others to grow deep roots in Christ.
We all know what it feels like when life starts to wobble—like a Jenga tower losing its pieces. Colossians 1:15–20 reminds us why: Jesus isn’t meant to be just part of our lives; He’s the center who holds all things together. When work, relationships, or even good causes become our foundation, we end up unstable and exhausted. But when Christ is supreme—sustaining every moment and anchoring every part of our lives—we find a stability that cannot be shaken and a rest our souls have been craving.
In this sermon, Pastor Tyler reflects on the incredible generosity and joy evident within the community. Sharing stories of transformation and commitment, he emphasizes the theme of choosing joy in the face of life's challenges, drawing inspiration from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians. Tyler explores the concept of joyful partnership in the gospel, urging the congregation to see their role not as members of a church, but as active partners invested in its mission. He discusses the biblical significance of tithing and financial generosity, encouraging the community to trust God and prioritize giving as an act of worship. Through this message, Tyler calls the church to embrace a holistic, spirit-filled approach to life, rooted in generosity and contentment in Christ. Join us as we delve into the heart of joyful giving and explore how each of us can participate in the transformative work God is doing in our community.
What if the biggest barrier to experiencing God’s fullness isn’t our circumstances—but our unwillingness to reconcile what feels impossible? In Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul writes to a divided church in Ephesus—a bustling, diverse city not unlike Seattle—and reminds them that Jesus has already torn down every wall of hostility.
This message invites us to take an honest look at the walls we’ve rebuilt between “us” and “them”—over race, politics, theology, or past wounds—and consider what it means to live as one new humanity in Christ. Reconciliation isn’t just being nice; it’s choosing to make peace. It’s stepping into the hard, beautiful work of building a spiritual home where strangers become family and difference becomes strength.
The question is simple: what walls might Jesus be inviting you to cross today?
What if the freedom we've been chasing our whole lives isn't really freedom at all? Clair takes us on a journey through the entire biblical narrative and Galatians 5 to discover what true freedom actually means. We trace freedom from its origins in Eden's garden, where God's first command was 'You are free to eat from any tree,' through the Exodus, the prophets, and ultimately to Jesus Christ who fulfills the entire story. The message challenges our culture's obsession with personal autonomy and reveals that genuine freedom isn't found in the absence of boundaries, but within them. Like children who thrive under authoritative parenting with both high warmth and high boundaries, we discover that safety creates the space where freedom flourishes. Paul's passionate letter to the Galatians warns against two dangerous ditches: legalism, where we try to earn God's love through performance, and license, where we use grace as a hall pass for selfishness. Instead, we're invited into something far more beautiful: freedom from the slavery of sin and fear, freedom for loving and serving others, and freedom to be filled by the Holy Spirit Himself. This isn't about rowing harder with our own strength; it's about raising our sails and letting God's wind move us forward. When we understand that we're freed from saving ourselves, we're finally free to become who we were created to be.
Richard Taylor Jr. challenges us to dive deeper into the transformative power of grace. We explore how grace isn't just about salvation, but about ongoing transformation and growth. The key scripture, Romans 3:23-24, reminds us that we're all justified freely by God's grace. But the message doesn't stop there - it pushes us to see grace as more than a 'free pass.' Instead, we're encouraged to view it as a fresh start, a catalyst for change. The parallel between Paul's journey from religious zealot to apostle of grace serves as a poignant reminder that God's grace can radically change even the most unlikely hearts. This message is deeply relevant to our daily lives, urging us to not just receive grace, but to allow it to shape us, renew our minds, and empower us to overcome sin. It's a call to move beyond simply being 'saved by grace' to being transformed by it, growing in our faith journey, and extending that same grace to others.
As we return to the Year of Living Biblically, Pastor Tyler challenges us to examine our hearts and consider what we're truly waiting for in our faith journey. The story of Pentecost in Acts 1-2 serves as a pivotal moment, showing how the disciples transformed from fearful hiding to bold proclamation. We're reminded that closed doors often lead to closed hearts, but faithful waiting can open us to God's power. The parallel between the disciples' experience and our own lives is striking – how often do we let fear paralyze us instead of trusting in God's promises? This message encourages us to stop 'bracing for impact' from evil and instead anticipate God's transformative work in and through us. It's a call to move beyond mere belief to living out the story of God's power in our daily lives, impacting our communities and the world around us.
In the final part of the mini-series, Gifted, Pastor Tyler challenges us to reframe our understanding of strength and weakness through the lens of faith. The central scripture, 2 Corinthians 12:5-10, reveals Paul's profound insight: true strength comes from embracing our weaknesses and depending on God's grace. We're urged to resist the worldly temptations of boasting in control, condemnation, or comfort. Instead, we're called to boast in our dependence on Christ, our humility, and our surrender to God's will. This counter-cultural approach reminds us that our limitations and struggles – our 'thorns' – are actually gifts that keep us reliant on God's power. As we reflect on this, we're encouraged to consider: How might acknowledging our weaknesses open us up to experiencing God's strength in new ways? This message invites us to find freedom in vulnerability and to trust that God's grace is truly sufficient in all circumstances.
We are joined by Jethro Lehane from our ASC Courses team, who reminds us of the beautiful gift of community within the body of Christ. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 12, we explore how the church is like a body - unique, interconnected, and designed to work together. Just as our physical bodies have many parts with different functions, so too does the church body consist of diverse individuals with various spiritual gifts. This diversity isn't a weakness, but a strength that allows us to support and complement one another. We're challenged to embrace our uniqueness while recognizing our interdependence, understanding that every member is indispensable. The message encourages us to move beyond our comfort zones, to connect deeply with fellow believers, and to use our God-given gifts to build up the church. It's a call to vulnerability, to shared experiences, and to loving one another as Christ loved us. By doing so, we not only strengthen our faith community but also become a powerful witness to the world around us.
Pastor Tyler kicks off a new sermon series: GIFTED
In this first of three parts, we're challenged to rethink our understanding of God's gifts and the Holy Spirit. The central theme revolves around 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul discusses spiritual gifts. We're reminded that God is a generous giver who delights in blessing His children. The greatest gift we've received is the Holy Spirit Himself, empowering us to live out our faith in extraordinary ways. This teaching encourages us to move from ignorance to revelation, from being easily influenced to discernment, and from impotence to impact. We're called to earnestly desire spiritual gifts, not for our own benefit, but for the common good of the body of Christ. This message invites us to open our hands and hearts, asking God to fill us afresh with His Spirit and to use the gifts He's given us for His glory and the benefit of others.
Guest Pastor Meiko Seymour (Uncommon City Church) challenges us to examine our hearts and confront the 'stones' we carry - those judgments, accusations, and condemnations we're quick to throw at others. The story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-12) serves as a profound reminder of God's mercy and grace. We're invited to see ourselves in both the accusers and the accused, recognizing our own need for forgiveness. The speaker beautifully illustrates how Jesus combines justice and compassion, offering mercy first, then calling for transformation. This order - 'mercy first, then formation' - is crucial for our spiritual growth and how we interact with others. We're reminded that God's grace is not a cover-up for sin, but the power that makes us new. As we navigate our complex world, we're called to be 'people of hope,' addressing injustice while fixing our eyes on Jesus. This message encourages us to drop our rocks, stand on Christ as our firm foundation, and walk in the light of life He offers.
As we continue through the Gospels in the Year of Living Biblically, we're challenged to examine our hearts and our approach to those who don't yet know Jesus in Luke 7:33-50. The story of the sinful woman anointing Jesus' feet serves as a stark contrast between self-righteous religiosity and genuine, transformative faith. We're reminded that Jesus came not for the righteous, but for sinners - and that includes all of us. The parable of the two debtors emphasizes that those who recognize the depth of their forgiveness will love more deeply. This message urges us to see others as Jesus sees them - with compassion and love, rather than judgment. It's a call to become true 'friends of sinners,' just as Jesus was, risking our reputations to reach those who are lost. We're encouraged to pray for the lost, to truly see them with love, and to be bold in offering to pray for others. This teaching invites us to move beyond our comfort zones and self-concern, reminding us that the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world.
As we continue to celebrate and bring the best (Luke 15:22), take a look back as Pastor Tyler shares stories of visible transformation this year.
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In our continued exploration of the Gospels, we're challenged to confront the most crucial question of our faith: 'Who do you say Jesus is?' This isn't just about theological knowledge, but about how we live our lives in response to Christ's identity. The passage reveals the paradox at the heart of following Jesus - to save our life, we must lose it. We're called to embrace 'cruciformity,' shaping our lives according to Christ's self-emptying love. This radical call to discipleship isn't about comfort or self-improvement, but about dying to ourselves so that we might truly live. As we grapple with this teaching, we're invited to examine our own lives: Are we truly following Jesus, or merely agreeing with Him to a point? The message urges us to find our true identity, calling, and assignment in Christ, reminding us that our greatest life is found in serving others, just as Jesus came to serve.
As we head into the New Testament in our Year of Living Biblically series, we're challenged to build our lives on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. The central scripture, Matthew 7:24-27, paints a vivid picture of two builders - one wise and one foolish. We're called to be like the wise builder who hears Jesus' words and puts them into practice. This isn't just about belief, but about active, lived-out faith. The sermon emphasizes three key practices: raising a firm foundation by choosing the wisdom of Jesus, relying on that foundation especially in life's storms, and reinforcing it through consistent spiritual disciplines. We're reminded that Christianity isn't meant to be a comfortable, cultural experience, but a counterculture that's both offensive and attractive to the world. This message urges us to move beyond mere cultural Christianity and into a life of desperation for Jesus, where we're constantly stepping out in faith and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our everyday interactions.