"How do we find happiness and hang on to it in a world where hardship and heaviness and violence and trouble seem so unrelentless and so unstoppable. Well, over the next five weeks, our answer is: Choose Joy."
"Happiness may not be possible in this broken world. Because typical happiness is often if not usually dependent on circumstances...life is a roller coaster of circumstances. But regardless of our circumstances, we can choose joy. Joy is deeper than happiness...Christian joy is a pervasive and constant sense of well-being."
“We as a local church need to be on the frontlines, helping people discover the life and hope that only Jesus gives. And we need to find creative and imaginative and as yet untried experiments to bring ministry beyond these walls and help people find God.
““The Lord is God and there is no other.” This is as true today as it was when Moses stood in front of the people—they were on the western shore of the Jordan river, and they’re heading into the promised land. It’s as true today as it was then. “The Lord is God and there is no other.” This is the message of Jesus’ Church. Not a message to scream at those who don’t agree. Not a message to berate those who don’t agree. And not a message to wield over people who don’t agree. But a message to demonstrate and to proclaim—through our life together as a congregation.”
When we're attentive to the Spirit, He can teach us through a variety of unconventional ways—through circumstances, through friends, and even through the songs we hear. Our pastors have been listening, and over three-weeks, they'll share a few words of wisdom by playing off various songs that are currently popular. Today's sermon is on the subject of contentment, and seeing beyond our circumstances to the beautiful, grace-filled life we indeed have.
"Sometimes the circumstances of our lives are unpleasant. But however unpleasant they may be, they are not the truest thing about life. Christ is. His goodness, His faithfulness, His love for us are the truest thing, the most important thing. It is He who makes life beautiful."
When we're attentive to the Spirit, He can teach us through a variety of unconventional ways—through circumstances, through friends, and even through the songs we hear. Our pastors have been listening, and over three-weeks, they'll share a few words of wisdom by playing off various songs that are currently popular. Today's sermon is on the subject of confession—how it can be heartwrenchingly difficult, but also how it is a necessary aspect of becoming whole in Christ. It requires honesty, self-discovery—and bravery.
We continue our series on telling the story of God by exploring the importance of community prayer. Specifically, Pastor Mike Lueken and Elder Scott Schafer discuss the purpose, priority, and power of praying as a community of believers.
In this series, we explore how we tell the story of the Good News of life in God's Kingdom through different actions of the church—in our baptism, in our worship gatherings, in conversations with others, through prayer, and at the communion table. These practices form us in the way of the Kingdom and spur us to live out our faith in the details of our lives.