Posted: 12 Dec, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
Merry Christmas from the Rio! In this message, Steve talks about how, before the first Christmas, the world eagerly waited for the Lord’s first coming—and also about how we now wait for his second coming to take us all home. “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” – Psalm […]
Read More...Posted: 12 Dec, 2015 | Author: Dove Cranson
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” – Revelation 3:20 Download
Read More...Posted: 05 Dec, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” – Hebrews 12:11 Download Disciple the Heart resource 7 – Learn – Taking Correction Handout
Read More...Posted: 28 Nov, 2015 | Author: Dove Cranson
So often we make Christianity about a list of things to do or events to attend. And yet when Jesus walked the earth, he didn’t ask people to come to small group or prayer meeting. Instead he took his disciples on a journey of commitment and excitement. In this sermon, Dove speaks about how Christianity […]
Read More...Posted: 21 Nov, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
Our human plan for reaching the world is not working. However, God has a plan to reach the world, and we know that it does work. However, in order for it to work well, we have to be doing things God way. In this message, Steve takes a look at God’s way of reaching the world—through the […]
Read More...Posted: 07 Nov, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
In this message, Steve speaks about the importance of discovering God through His Word. “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. […]
Read More...Posted: 31 Oct, 2015 | Author: Dove Cranson
Dove’s message about repentance, both at the initial point of salvation and daily repentance in your walk as a new creation. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” —Acts 3:19 Handout Disciple the Heart resource 2 – Repent – […]
Read More...Posted: 25 Oct, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
In this first message in our series “Disciple the Heart,” Steve talks about the importance of committing to follow Jesus—not sometimes, not halfway, but all in. “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” —Luke 9:23 Handout Disciple the […]
Read More...Posted: 11 Oct, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
Steve shares with us a moving sermon on humility. “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” —Romans 12:16 Download
Read More...Posted: 26 Sep, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
In this sermon, Steve talks about the “performance evaluations” in Revelation 3. What would God tell us if he were to evaluate our church? Download Handout: Evaluation – Churches in Revelation
Read More...Posted: 19 Sep, 2015 | Author: Dove Cranson
Dove Cranson, our new soon-to-be pastor, shares his powerful testimony—all the while teaching lessons of influence, love, and relationship along the way. Download
Read More...Posted: 12 Sep, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
In this sermon, Steve talks about leadership and the exciting news that Dove Cranson is being recognized as a pastor at the Rio! Download Church Leadership – Handout
Read More...Posted: 05 Sep, 2015 | Author: Dove Cranson
In this sermon, Dove compares the Christian life to a tree and uncovers valuable insights into how we can learn about ourselves through God’s creation. Download
Read More...Posted: 30 Aug, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
In this final part of the Knowing Jesus sermon series, Steve takes a look at three things that stop us as a church from working together as a team: sin and selfishness that entangles and disqualifies, failure to work as a team and to see what is small as being part of something bit, and indifference […]
Read More...Posted: 16 Aug, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
In this message, Pastor Steve speaks about the life of Paul and draws out some important lessons we can learn from his life. “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:9 Download Handout: […]
Read More...Posted: 03 Aug, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
We often wear ourselves out trying to change all of our bad behaviors. But according to the passage we’re looking at in Philippians and other passages throughout the Bible, we can not only change our actions, but our thinking as well. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is […]
Read More...Posted: 25 Jul, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
God calls the church to unity—an unconditional, tightly-bound unity. So what do we do when we meet people who we don’t naturally get along with? How does God call his saints to respond when faced with a difficult relationship? “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” […]
Read More...Posted: 18 Jul, 2015 | Author: Dove Cranson
As we wrap up Philippians 3 in our Knowing Jesus series, we take a look at this passage: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so […]
Read More...Posted: 11 Jul, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 3:13-14 Download […]
Read More...Posted: 05 Jul, 2015 | Author: Dr. Michael Parsa
In this next section of Philippians 3, we take a look at these verses: “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a […]
Read More...Posted: 28 Jun, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
This next teaching in our series covering Philippians takes a look at a scarcely mentioned character in the Bible—Epaphroditus. By looking at the way Paul speaks of Epaphroditus, we can get a better understanding of what it looks like to live a live committed to the gospel. Download Handout
Read More...Posted: 21 Jun, 2015 | Author: Dove Cranson
“I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know […]
Read More...Posted: 14 Jun, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
In modern Christianity, the words “die to yourself” are thrown out frequently. The basic concept is simple: die to your flesh so that you can live by the Spirit. We know that this is the right thing to do, but do we clearly know why? Why is it important to die to ourselves? Are there […]
Read More...Posted: 31 May, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
In this next passage in Philippians 2, we take a look at verses 12 & 13, which tell us to “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” But what does that mean? We […]
Read More...Posted: 23 May, 2015 | Author: Dove Cranson
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient […]
Read More...Posted: 16 May, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
As we continue our series through Philippians, we’re going to take a look at the place of suffering in a Christian’s life. Suffering is very real, not only in the sense of the persecuted church, but also in the sense of the day-to-day struggles and battles that we face regularly. These sufferings, in whatever form, […]
Read More...Posted: 02 May, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
In this intro to our new sermon series over the book of Philippians, we take a look at what it means to know Jesus—and what life looks like if you don’t know Jesus. “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able […]
Read More...Posted: 18 Apr, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
As Christians, we often tend to be skeptical when something amazing happens. We are quick to label these things as coincidence and slow to attribute them to God. But skepticism is good, right? After all, just because you got over your cold doesn’t mean that God has miraculously healed you, right? Well, maybe. But what […]
Read More...Posted: 05 Apr, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
The Bible tells us that we will reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-9). It’s a basic concept that’s not too hard to understand. But why do some people do evil things and not seem to reap any negative consequences? And why is it that some people make the right choice and do not get a […]
Read More...Posted: 22 Mar, 2015 | Author: Steve Nelson
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” – Galatians 5:13 As Christians, we know that we are free, but also that we can’t just do whatever we want. We still have a set of rules that we […]
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