We all long for redemption. We all long to know that the story ends well. The Book of Ruth is a redemption story - with surprising characters and surprising plot twists. It provides a road map for suffering people to live beautiful, hopeful lives that can become conduits of God's redemptive work.
The biblical story of Jonah is a witty and humorous satire with a powerful message that is still relevant today. Many of us are familiar with the part of the story where Jonah ends up in the belly of a fish, but that is only the first part. The story of Jonah presents a poignant message of God's love and mercy for all people - even our enemies. It leaves us with questions to ponder about our own brokenness and God's expansive heart.
Jesus came to make everything better ... right? So what's with all of the dashed hopes and disappointments, from the Bible on down to today? Is Jesus someone we can trust, even when life doesn't meet our expectations?
Celebrate the joy of Christmas with us! Join us on Christmas Eve for a beautiful evening of worship, candlelight, and hope as we reflect on the incredible gift of Jesus. We’d love to share this special night with you and your loved ones.
One of the strongest temptations in a Gray Zone is towards apathy. Jesus' invitation to lament and hope has the power to deepen our solidarity with those who suffer, sharpen our vision and equip us to do justice.
Often we give most or all of our attention to our immediate circumstances. Romans 8:18-25 invites us to lift our heads to take in the big picture of what God is doing.
In a gray zone, the temptation to escape is strong. Jesus invites us to engage reality, feel our feelings and go to Him for comfort.
We are living in confusion and anxious times. The temptation is to react with anger and despair. God invites us to respond with lament and hope, two practices that can lead to greater intimacy with Him.
“Discipleship is the lifelong process of deepening surrender to Jesus.” In this conclusion to the series "Follow Me", pastor Bill helps us to count the cost of following Jesus and NOT following Jesus, and invites us to surrender, more and more, to Jesus' wise and loving leadership and care.
As a young man (or teenager!), Daniel was carried away into exile and immersed in a foreign culture that was opposed to God. And yet, Daniel managed to build a life in which he resisted the empire and remained faithful to God. In this sermon, Pastor Bill talks about the importance of having a conscious and deliberate plan to keep Jesus at the center of our lives.
How do we trust God when we can't feel God? How do we persevere in faith when God feels far away? Lament is God's gift to us so that we can keep praying and seeking Him no matter our circumstances.
What is the Kingdom? How do we demonstrate it? And how do we keep from burning out? These are the questions we wrestle with as we continue to explore what it means to "do as Jesus did."
According to the New Testament, "witness" is not something you do, it's something you are. Your whole life is a witness to who Jesus is and what He can do. Come discover how Jesus engages people with spirituality reality, and how we can be faithful witnesses to the gospel.
Hospitality was at the center of Jesus' life and ministry. In this sermon we explore the nature of hospitality, the cost of hospitality, and the fruit of hospitality.
If the goal is to follow Jesus and become like Him, how do we do this? Our lives need to be changed and transformed so that we look and act like Him. This sermon will present a framework for transformation as we slowly and deliberately train to become like Jesus.
A life of apprenticeship to Jesus means being with Jesus, in order to become like Him and do as He does. This sermon (the first of two) explores the process by which we change to become more like Jesus.
Apprenticeship to Jesus begins with our being with Him. But how do we do that now that He has returned to the Father? In this practical sermon, Pastor Bill explores what it looks like to "make our home" in Jesus.
One of the first things Jesus did after going public was form a team. Following Jesus is group work! You can't follow Jesus without a community.
"Follow me." This was Jesus' most frequent command in the gospels. He is quoted saying this 21 times! In this sermon, Pastor Bill explores what it means to follow Jesus, what it costs, and why we should.
How do we navigate the confusing, inconsistent and unresolved parts of life? How do we find courage to keep going when evil seems to have the upper hand? What role can knowing history play in helping us to be faithful in our time? These are some of the questions we explore as we meditate on Acts 12.