We are less than two weeks into this new model of doing church, and certainly church is only one aspect of many in your lives that have been dramatically altered as a result of Coronavirus concerns.
The View from the Back of the Line
November 25th, 2018
Pastor Paul is preaching.
Matthew 20:1-16
“I’d love my community if it weren’t for all the people.” Have you ever heard someone utter a statement to this effect? Between God’s call to live in community with other believers and to serve and witness to all, following Jesus is going to inevitably require us to figure out how to work with other people.
In fact, Jesus doesn’t simply want us to “play well with others”, He models a ministry that includes a radical welcome, embracing, advocating for, and nurturing of all people, especially the ones we would otherwise struggle with. Matthew’s parable of the workers in the vineyard is a prime example. The Grinch’s heart grew three sizes as his attitude towards others was transformed by the Christmas spirit. What’s in store for our hearts this Christmas?
October 2017 Sermon Series
Whirlwind... God In The Midst of It
In light of the recent events in our world and in our country, I feel as though God is trying to speak louder to a hurting world than he has ever done before. My mind, heart and soul are all racing about hurricanes, kneeling and not kneeling, and Las Vegas and how we find God in the midst of it all. As a church we cannot just bury our heads in the sand and act like we are an isolated bubble not called to speak the word of God to a broken world. The word of God can and should be a word that draws people together for a common outcome that lines up with God’s will. This sermon series is not a political stance one way or another. It is a sermon series of a God who is right in the midst of the whirlwind of our world right here and now. The whirlwind may never go away so it is now more important than ever to find God in the midst of it.
October 8th: "A Force to be Reckoned With"
October 15th: "God, It Just Doesn't Make Sense"
October 22nd: "So What Do I Do Now?"
Return To Sender
Living Into My Stengths Series
October 1, 2017 - Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
No Time To Lose
Septmber 4th, 2017 - 13th Sunday after Pentecost
Pastor Paul is preaching.
If You Just Believe
"Double Portion" Series
August 20th, 2017 - 11th Sunday after Pentecost
Pastor Paul is preaching.
James 1:1-8
Our ability to claim a double portion of God’s Spirit in our lives requires more than just solidifying the nature of our request, it requires a heart that expects to obtain it.
Of course an expectant and faithful heart is not gifted us without effort on our parts. The Apostle James call us to just “believe and not doubt” and we’ll receive the greatest of gifts from above. If only it were as easy as he and Walt Disney make it sound. But that must not prevent us from striving towards it. Besides, there’s no less joy in the journey than in the destination.
"Everything Happens For A Reason"
"Half-Truths" Series
July 2nd, 2017 - 4th Sunday after Pentecost
Pastor Paul is preaching.
Jonah 4
Theologians barely allowed Jesus time to ascend from the earth before they took up the debate, and it continues to rage even to this day: How active truly is God in our world?
Is He the absentee landlord who created us and promptly plopped us down here before jetting off on an eternal holiday? Or is He the direct author of every moment of our lives, responsible for every occurrence, good and bad, that occurs throughout time? By the time the prophet Jonah completed his now biblically documented journey, from storm-tossed, to the belly of a great fish, to sun-stroked outside the city of Nineveh, to He had seen a God of both extremes. Perhaps the truth is that our holy and merciful God operates somewhere in between.
I Believe In The Church
"I Believe" Series
June 25th, 2017 - 3rd Sunday after Pentecost
Pastor Paul is preaching.
Matthew 16:13-20
Fast Freedom
May 28th, 2017
Pastor Paul is preaching.
Luke 14:25-35
May we, as children of a merciful God and residents of this great nation, be ever on guard against taking our freedoms for granted.
The price at which they were obtained is far too great. Equally important, however, is that we understand and live into the gift of freedom as God intended. In Luke 14, Jesus flips traditional thought on its head, reminding us that freedom is not only obtained at a cost, but maintained and enjoyed at a cost as well. Freedom in Christ is known only by those who are constantly vigilant against the sneaky shackles of this world.
Mission Accomplished
"John: Gospel of Light and Life" Series
April 2nd, 2017
Pastor Paul is preaching.
John 18:1-11
So in case you’re just tuning into this sermon series, John’s Gospel is DIFFERENT.
And the portrait he provides us of Jesus in his final hours on earth stays true to this expectation. While no less depictive of a loving and sacrificial Savior, John’s Jesus is a great deal closer to a roaring lion than a gentle lamb. Through John, we see Jesus on a mission, fully composed and in perfect control every step along the way. And if Jesus’ mission is to rescue humanity, then our role is simple. We need to acknowledge our need for rescue and be ready and willing to receive it. A simple task, one would think. Or is it?
Here's Mud in Your Eye
The Justice Conundrum
February 19 & 26, 2017
Pastor Paul is preaching.
Justice in Sin (February 19th)
2 Kings 2:23-24
The Law of Love (February 26th)
James 2:12-17
The term “justice” is tossed around pretty liberally in today’s society, and rarely does our use of the word properly reflect its true nature.
As we engage the notion of justice in Scripture these next two weeks, we can be hopeful several things will happen. One, we’ll no longer remain naïve to the use of such an invaluable word. Secondly, the Old Testament, two-thirds of God’s written Word, will be released from the chains of irrelevance and confusion many of us hold it in. And third, we will be sent out with an informed understanding of how to spread God’s law of love, justice for the New Testament world, to all we come in contact with. We hope you’ll join us for this power-packed two week series.
God A Minute - December 15, 2016
Fear or faith? Pastor Paul Bennett digs deeper into "The Redemption of Scrooge."
How Are You, REALLY?
"How Is It With Your Soul?" Series
October 2nd, 2016
Pastor Paul is preaching.
James 5:13-20
We must get asked a dozen times a day this simple question, “How are you?”
If you’re like me, my responses to this question represent my most frequent instances of dishonesty. Why do we find it so easy to lie in response to that question? Because we’ve convinced ourselves there’s no way the other person actually wants to hear the truth, right? But what if sometimes they do? And what if sometimes we need to vocalize the truth, even if the person asking is caught a bit off guard? The Apostle James presents us an image of Christian community where people actually acknowledge their struggles, sins and sorrows. I have a feeling his message pertains just as much, if not MORE, to the 21st century as it did to the 1st.
Stepping Together into Ridiculousness
"Parched" Series
July 17th, 2016
Pastor Paul is preaching.
Matthew 14:22-33
The human eye is an amazing little device, but it still has limits.
We can only fully train our eyes on one thing at a time. For Peter, that “one thing” was Jesus…until it wasn’t. And then he started sinking. Hard to blame the poor guy though. Most would consider it ridiculous to think he could focus on Christ even when standing on the surface of the water in the midst of a windstorm. Nonetheless, this is what God calls us to. And embracing this ridiculousness is the first step to seeing life anew. Let’s all get out on the solid water together, and invite others to do the same.
Come To The Water
"Parched" Series
July 3rd, 2016
Pastor Paul is preaching.
Ezekiel 47:1-12
Humanity as a whole is pretty fond of water but only those who live in a place so arid and parched as much of the Holy Land can appreciate its true worth.
Jesus comes along and promises ”living water” to all who seek him. As important as water is to such an arid climate, “living” water, water that is constantly moving and flowing, is even more valuable. Jesus would reinforce a message God sought to relay through Scripture, that living water, the ultimate source of sustenance, hope and life, can only be found in him. And if the water Christ provides is to truly be “living”, we must maintain its flow by engaging his Spirit in relationship.
Snake Salvation
"I'm All In... Philippians and What's Next" Series
May 29th, 2016
Pastor Paul is preaching.
Numbers 21:4-9
John 3:16 is probably the most recognized passage in all of Scripture.
Many would agree that it captures the very essence of the Christian faith in just a single verse. Through it, the path to salvation is laid plain before us. But few have peeled back the layers to unveil the full depth of this verse, including the Old Testament reference about poisonous snakes that sets the context for it in the preceding verses (do I have your attention yet?!). Join us as we revisit a familiar passage with new eyes, perhaps unveiling surprising new insights along the way.
Loosening Our Grasp
"I'm All In... Philippians and What's Next" Series
May 8th, 2016
Pastor Paul is preaching.
Philippians 2
Inviting Christ to come alongside us on our life’s journey requires us to change our worldview and attitude, to change how we look at ourselves and at the world around us.
Paul invites us to adopt the same mindset as that of Christ, one of humility and selflessness. Our revamped view on life will make little sense to others, but it will avail to us the freedom and joy God offers, as well as open up the possibility for true community. Just as Christ did when he descended from heaven, great reward awaits us as we “loosen our grasp” on worldly ways.
What If: I Stopped Fighting It?
"What If?" Series
April 3rd, 2016
Pastor Paul is preaching.
1 Kings 17:7-16
The widow in 1 Kings 17 needed a change.
Life, it seems, had not been kind to her, and try as she had, she and her only son were still on the brink of starvation. Whatever god or gods she had placed her trust in didn’t seem to care about her plight. That is until the God of Israel sent his prophet Elijah to her home. Despite her circumstances, Elijah came bearing no consumable gifts. But he did invite her to commit an act of faith that would re-open the channel for her to finally place her full trust in God. When the time comes when we’re finally ready to stop fighting God’s persistent call, our approach might be much the same. Committing one small step toward God can be all it takes to open the floodgates to his purpose and love.
Set Apart, Together
"Renegade Gospel: The Rebel Jesus" Series
February 21st, 2016
Pastor Paul is preaching.
1 Peter 2:4-10
Part of following the ”Rebel Jesus” requires we are actually willing to be part of a rebellion.
But who’s ever heard of a rebellion enacted by one person, a revolution driven by a single individual? To follow Jesus into mission, we must first claim our status as part of a united family, but a family that is together “set apart” from the world. If we are to follow a rebel Jesus, we must accept that the strength and courage to do so can only be found in the company of other rebels.