Am I Alone Here?

"A Heart For Service" Series

January 24th, 2016

Reverend Dan is preaching.
John 14:1-14

Serving in this world in the name of Christ is scary.  

More and more people in this world want Jesus less and less, if at all.  After we come to know Christ as Lord we feel the unquenchable thirst to serve Jesus in this world.  We know that we are called to serve but it is really scary.  It is scary enough to not answer the call to serve as a disciple.  How will I know that I am not alone as I venture from my “safe zone” out into the mission field?  Am I alone here?

YOU are Gifted

"A Heart For Service" Series

January 17th, 2016

Reverend Dan is preaching.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11

One of the greatest joys in life is discovering that out of the grace and love Jesus Christ has for you, the Holy Spirit has given you gifts to serve.  

There is no such thing as “God gave gifts to everyone but ME.”  Your heart has been transformed so that gift that you have been given by the Holy Spirit can finally come to life.  As it says in Ephesians 4:12, we were given gifts “To prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”  You were gifted by the Holy Spirit to be a disciple and not just a volunteer.

A New Trajectory

"A Heart For Service" Series

January 10th, 2016

Reverend Dan is preaching.
Luke 3:15-17, 21-23a

What path or trajectory is your life currently on?  

Can you see your life heading in a certain direction?  Is it heading where you always wanted it to go?  Is it like a ship at sea with no sail or rudder?  Maybe your life is heading for destruction and you feel as though there is no way to change its trajectory now.  Jesus was baptized and received the Holy Spirit. After he received the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ life took on a whole new trajectory, one that can change yours if you let it.

King Without A Crown

December 27th, 2015

Pastor Paul is preaching.
2 Samuel 7:1-11

After a month of building anticipation, at long last, our Savior has finally come, cooing softly in the manger hay. 

Now what!?!  After all this preparation, how are we to know what in the world to do with the mysterious incarnate God who looks more like the lead in a Pampers commercial than He does the God of all the Universe.  Throughout history, from the Garden of Eden, to the Tower of Babel, to King David’s building plans in 2 Samuel, to the Hill of Calvary, people have misunderstood God and His plan for us.  As we re-engage the world beyond the Christmas season, let us embrace the Messiah, God become us, for who He really is, and for what He truly desires for us.

Jesus: Sent to Change Everything

"Sent" Series

December 24th, 2015 - Christmas Eve

Reverend Dan is preaching.
Luke 2:1-20

You are not an accident.

You are God’s “on purpose” creation.  Jesus came into the world at just the right time to be the Messiah, to be our Savior.  His birth was not an accident but was on purpose because you were his purpose.  You were not just born into this world; you were SENT on purpose, God’s purpose.  Be sent into your Christmas.

Sent: To Bring New Life

"Sent" Series

December 20th, 2015

Reverend Dan is preaching.
Luke 1:39-56

Mary.

Plain old Mary.  She was no one special.  She was easily looked over in her own community.  She was just plain old Mary.  That was her old life.  God placed a call on her life and her new life was about to begin.  Jesus Christ came that we all might have new life in and through him.  Have you walked through the door that leads to your new life?  It’s scary.  It’s confusing.  I think that is why the angels almost always said to the person to whom they were sent, “Do not be afraid.”  Are you still waiting for your new life to begin? It’s right in front of you.  Can’t you see it?

Sent: To Be With Us

"Sent" Series

December 13th, 2015

Reverend Dan is preaching.
Matthew 1:23

God is not just an “up there” God.

 In this one verse from Matthew we hear that Jesus is called Immanuel, which means “God with us.”  Jesus came to know our tears, our hurts, our laughter, our joy, our anger and our frustrations.  There are those times in life when we cry out, does anyone know what I am going through? God does because Jesus came to know exactly what we are going through.  Jesus knows.  Do you know him?

Sent: To Proclaim Freedom

"Sent" Series

December 6th, 2015

Pastor Paul is preaching.
Luke 4:14-21

Two thousand years ago, the great God of all the Universe, Creator and Lord over all, set aside the grandeur of heaven to walk amongst His feeble children.

 His life of selfless service, humble means and personal sacrifice would conclude as He offered Himself up to His executioners on a hill called Calvary.  His life, His words, His actions, His final sacrifice were all saturated with the message and gift of freedom.  Christ met us where we were to grant us new life when we were incapable of producing it ourselves.  And now He beckons US to do the same.  Even two thousand years later, much of the world has yet to claim that precious gift, offered to us through the blood of God.  God invites us to claim that gift for ourselves, and then extend that freedom unconditionally, with courage, into the lives of those who need it most.

Sent: Back to the Future

"Sent" Series

November 29th, 2015

Reverend Dan is preaching.
Luke 1:5-17

Isn’t it amazing how Christmas can turn us into little kids again?

 It  becomes a time when we long to go back to those magical times of our childhood.  We long to go back to the way things were.  When God created the world he called it all good; even us.  The problem is that we ate the apple in the garden and that changed everything.  God sent us out of the garden that day.  The human heart longs to get back to the way things were.  Jesus came to reconcile us back to God and the original relationship that we had with God in the garden.  What are you longing for this Christmas?  In Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection we are “Sent: Back To The Future.”

The FALL of Our Faith

"Season's Change" Series

October 25th, 2015

Reverend Dan is preaching.
1 John 4:7-16

How does God do it?  

Every leaf has now come to a point where it is finishing its cycle of life.  It has brought life, food, and strength to the tree and at the end it becomes a magnificently beautiful red, orange, yellow, pink, or brown as it falls to the ground.  It’s the time of year to be in awe of God’s creation all around us.  It is a time when we realize that it is all God.  Fall is a time for us to build that intimate ongoing relationship with our God.  Just like any other relationship it needs to be tended, nurtured, fed, and grown.  Will you let the beautiful colors of the fall be the impetus for you going deeper in your faith and love of God in Jesus Christ?

The SUMMER of Our Faith

"Season's Change" Series

October 18th, 2015

Reverend Dan is preaching.
John 21:15-19

What happens to our lawns in July and August?  

They become parched wastelands as they wait for the next quenching rain to finally fall from the sky.  They don’t die, but they do go dormant waiting and waiting.  They have grown all spring and all summer and they get worn out in the midst of a drought.  Our faith, too, can have a time drought and fatigue.  There are times when are faith is like a parched dry land praying for the rain.  It always comes.  Peter went right back to being a fisherman after Jesus was crucified and Jesus had to rain in his life all over again.  Jesus can and will quench your parched dry land.

The SPRING of Our Faith

"Season's Change" Series

October 11th, 2015

Reverend Dan is preaching.
1 Samuel 16:1-13

Spring is all about new life, new birth and new beginnings.

 In the text from today we see that David is in the winter of his life while he is tending the sheep off in the field.  He is about to come into the spring of his faith journey.  He is called by God to be king of Israel and defeat the Philistines.  David was called by God into a new life, new birth and new beginnings.  It was his time to blossom into his faith.  We too have times in our faith journey when God calls us into new life, new birth and new beginnings.  There will be many times in your faith journey when God calls you to blossom for Him.

The WINTER of Our Faith

"Season's Change" Series

October 4th, 2015

Reverend Dan is preaching.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and Luke 23:50-56

In the scripture from Luke we see that Joseph of Arimathea was waiting expectantly for the Kingdom of God.  

He then helps bury the body of Jesus and then rolls the stone in front of the tomb and waits.  Isn’t that what winter is all about?  It is a time of quiet, cold and waiting.  We wait for the spring.  There is so much happening in the midst of the quiet, calmness of winter.  There is a time in our faith journey where we are waiting expectantly upon the Kingdom of God.  What will God do next?  What will God do next, with me?

Then...

"Energy Vs. Power" Series

September 27th, 2015

Reverend Dan is preaching.
Matthew 3:13-4:1

Immediately after Jesus was crucified all of the disciples went into hiding.  

The Bible tells us that they hid out of fear of the Jews.  This new movement in Christ was hidden in a room behind closed doors and those charged with spreading that movement were crippled with fear.  THEN Jesus showed up and gave them the Holy Spirit and history was and is forever changed.  In the text for today Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit THEN he began his earthly ministry to change the world and to change each and every one of us.  Are you still hidden in your room out of fear?  May you start to live your life of THEN…

Filled

"Energy Vs. Power" Series

September 20th, 2015

Reverend Dan is preaching.
John 20:19-21

As Christians it can be very humbling when you give your life to Christ and to his service.

 You will quickly learn that any power you do have is not your own.  It comes from Christ and Christ alone.  It is a gift that is given to those who claim him as Lord.  We are a people who are filled.  Until we are filled it is as if our lives have been in a state of waiting until that power comes.  Are you in a state of waiting or are you FILLED?

Power

"Energy Vs. Power" Series

September 13th, 2015

Reverend Dan is preaching.
Matthew 14:22-34

In life I have met many people who have a lot of energy.  

I have met very few who can harness that energy into power.  There are many similarities in our faith.  There are many who have a lot of energy for Christ and yet never seem to do much or get much done in the faith.  When we turn energy into a directed power, then we can change the world.  Do you have energy or do you have power?

From Peter’s Perspective: Relying on the Presence of Christ

"Solving the Prayer Puzzle" Series

August 30th, 2015

Pastor Paul is preaching.
Mark 4:35-41

Sometimes we learn best from those who do it right, sometimes from those who royally mess it up.  

Peter will be in the house to share one of his epic failures in the faith.  However, from his story of failure, we can learn an invaluable lesson.  No matter whether we can see Christ, hear Christ or feel Christ, He is always present when we seek Him out.  And learning to trust in and delight in God’s constant presence is of the utmost importance if we are to achieve that long-sought prize of a healthy prayer life.

The Lord’s Prayer: Learning How to Pray for Dummies

"Solving the Prayer Puzzle" Series

August 23rd, 2015

Pastor Paul is preaching.
Matthew 6:5-13

So we’ve finally determined to work on our prayer life.  

We’ve successfully found a tiny sliver of solitude and are anxious to apply our newly learned prayer principles.  But then it hits us, we’re still missing something rather important.  What in the world are we supposed to pray about?  Maybe this has been you before, and you just weren’t sure how to fill the silence that was encompassing your prayer corner.  Well, believe it or not, there is a tutorial out there written by Jesus himself that lays out a beautiful pattern for the content of our prayers.  It’s a little prayer we like to call “The Lord’s Prayer”.

Daniel: Prayer Principles for Real People

"Solving the Prayer Puzzle" Series

August 16th, 2015

Pastor Paul is preaching.
Daniel 1:1-7

Daniel’s story has it all.  

From moments of persecution and certain death, to times of victory and great power and influence.  All the way, through his mountaintops and valleys, Daniel was led by the hand of God.  And that journey he shared with the Lord was fueled by a devoted prayer life.  The principles that guided his relationship with God still apply today.  Come ready to learn about prayer from one of the best, the prophet Daniel.

Soul Care through Solitude

"Solving the Prayer Puzzle" Series

August 9th, 2015

Pastor Paul is preaching.
1 Kings 19:1-13a

I suppose there was a time when quiet peace and solitude were naturally present in the day to day life of people.  

We’re talking way back before the technology explosion and population expansion, in other words, a very long time ago.  Today, most people don’t even recognize its absence. We’ve become so accustomed to the constant noise and the various external stimuli we’re bombarded with that we wouldn’t know what to do if it weren’t there.  The story of Elijah has a suggestion for us in that regard, as do many other stories within Scripture.  Seek the Lord in moments of solitude, and you will find Him more powerfully present than ever before.