Posted: 20 Nov, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson
As we continue to look at the Higher Calling we have in Jesus, we see the example of Paul to work with extreme effort to bring the good news of Jesus to others, breaking down barriers and enduring difficulties in the process. What is the source of his dedication and sacrifice? Is he trying to […]
Read More...Posted: 13 Nov, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
Have you ever felt judged by Christians? You vote one way, but they think you should vote another. You trick or treat, but they don’t. You have a Christmas tree and they seem to think you are worshiping the forest god in your living room. You public school and they home school. Paul addresses these […]
Read More...Posted: 06 Nov, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson
Each of us lives in a situation that is not always easy. In fact life is often extremely challenging, and it is easy to think that if we were only in a different situation then we would be happy and fulfilled. If only I had a spouse, or if I didn’t have one but could […]
Read More...Posted: 30 Oct, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
Marriage is intended to be a beautiful life-long relationship. Unfortunately things don’t always go as God desires in our broken world. In this message we look at what the Bible teaches on divorce and remarriage from 1 Corinthians 7 and from the teachings of Jesus. Download Main Handout / Supplemental Reference on Divorce See also: Pizza Seminar: What the […]
Read More...Posted: 23 Oct, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson
It is the reality of life that each person gets to enjoy pleasures and happiness. Also each human being experiences loss and sadness. Through this adventure of learning to trust God we are called to a bigger perspective. We can learn to be content with what we have been given and trust […]
Read More...Posted: 16 Oct, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
How can the church be a hospital for broken and sinful people and also hope to have a standard of behavior that reflects our higher calling? Is it possible to be loving and compassionate and yet draw a line in the sand and say that certain behaviors are not acceptable among God’s people? In this […]
Read More...Posted: 02 Oct, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
Have you ever seen Christians sin and wondered how they could act so unchristian? And have you wondered why Jesus hasn’t changed them more? And what about in your own life? Have you ever thought that the power of God should have transformed you more? In this message, Steve explains how the power of God […]
Read More...Posted: 25 Sep, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson
In a culture where intellect and worldly wisdom is praised, God’s wisdom is often neglected or belittled. Many seem to think we have become too smart for God. In this look at 1 Corinthians chapter 2, human wisdom is contrasted with the vast mystery of God’s wisdom. The chapter lays out how God’s wisdom is […]
Read More...Posted: 11 Sep, 2016 | Author: Dr. Michael Parsa
We often don’t think of ourselves as being very gifted or having much to offer, but God has great things He wants to do through our lives! The gifts and talents God has given us can be used to help people and to make an incredible difference in God’s kingdom. In this message, ER doctor […]
Read More...Posted: 10 Sep, 2016 | Author: Kathleen Nelson
Kathleen Nelson shares her story of how the Lord led her down a personal journey, and clarified six biblical areas in her life in which God has already called her to live out a “holy ambition.” Download Handout
Read More...Posted: 04 Sep, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
The people in the days of Hosea were so mesmerized by their sins of drunkenness and prostitution, that God said they were being robbed of their brains. They weren’t thinking clearly, and because of that they chose their vices over God. We should ask ourselves if we have any similar destructive behaviors, and we should think […]
Read More...Posted: 28 Aug, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson
Dove uncovers in his own life and others’ how our perception of what others think of us can be so crippling. This has created a tendency to hide our shortcoming and emphasize our strengths. Failure can become debilitating. But with the unconditional love of God as our solid foundation we can walk through failure and […]
Read More...Posted: 23 Aug, 2016 | Author: Tommy Tinajero
Tommy courageously shares his story of how an addiction to pornography threatened his walk with God, inner peace, and marriage. Most (if not all) of us can relate to such life-consuming struggles, but God doesn’t want that to be the end of the story. He can help us to be free and to fill our […]
Read More...Posted: 22 Aug, 2016 | Author: Joe Ortiz
Joe Ortiz tells the story of his son, Joey, who at ten months of age was diagnosed as having a seizure disorder. The ensuing months and years brought a lot of pain and hardship, but in the end, God met one of Joe’s deepest needs: to know God truly existed and cared. Download
Read More...Posted: 14 Aug, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
When the people asked God, “Do you want us to keep fasting as we’ve done for 70 years,” God responded with, “You were doing that for ME?” It’s as if he was completely unaware of or indifferent toward all their spiritual activity. It makes you wonder about the spiritual things we do. Are they really […]
Read More...Posted: 07 Aug, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson
The thing that matters more than anything else in the world is faith. The biblical David is a great example of someone who trusted God and God’s timing when his circumstances seemed to point to an easier course of action. In the long run, David’s faith was rewarded. We can follow God with that same […]
Read More...Posted: 31 Jul, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
God has always loved people. People are the pinnacle of creation! We might think that we are too messed up for God to love us, but there are countless examples of God loving really messed up people. Throughout all of scripture, we see God trying to win the hearts of broken people. And we see […]
Read More...Posted: 24 Jul, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson
God loves us passionately and wants a special place in our lives. He wants your heart given to Him and not to anyone or anything else. In this message Dove shares a powerful illustration that will help you understand the place God wants in your heart. Download Handout
Read More...Posted: 17 Jul, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
To have a meaningful relationship with God, we must not see Him as an emotionless robot—always the same: passionless, uncaring, and unaffected by what He sees and experiences. We must see Him as a being who experiences joy and grief, pleasure and displeasure, intense love and extreme jealousy. Download Handout
Read More...Posted: 30 Jun, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
The Bible is full of amazing teachings about God’s love for people and His relentless pursuit of their hearts. In the culmination of His plan, He gave His special son to die on the cross so that our sins could be paid for. It’s an amazing story, but only if it is true. There are […]
Read More...Posted: 26 Jun, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
God’s not just after our obedience; he’s after our hearts! Do you ever feel guilty, dirty, and like you have nothing to offer to God? And then, to feel better, do you start doing things like going to church, reading the Bible, or giving money at church? An amazing illustration from Haggai helps us see […]
Read More...Posted: 19 Jun, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson
Is your spiritual life a religious practice or a relationship with God? In this message pastor Dove helps us reflect on our past and look ahead into our futures so that we can experience the full life in Christ that our souls long for. Download Handout
Read More...Posted: 12 Jun, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
We know that following God pays off in the next life, but does it pay off in this life? Can we expect a blessing in following God, or is that some sort of prosperity-gospel teaching? We need to be careful to avoid both extremes in this matter. We shouldn’t expect wealth and health from following God, […]
Read More...Posted: 05 Jun, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson
“Behind the scenes is where the work is done.” How can we experience growth and the presence of God apart from our own effort? Me must learn to be connected to the vine by surrender instead of strength. Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your […]
Read More...Posted: 29 May, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
It’s one thing to follow God when God asks something easy of us, but it is another thing to follow God when we have a completely different plan that we think is easier or better. To help us make good choices in these situations it is helpful to understand how we think. We need to […]
Read More...Posted: 22 May, 2016 | Author: Tom Schwieger
God values relationships! One of the greatest themes throughout the New Testament is the command to love others. In this message, Tom Schwieger talks about the importance of having meaningful relationships with five different groups of people: Lifers, Laborers, Leaders, Learners, and the Lost. God uses each of these types of relationships to impact us, […]
Read More...Posted: 14 May, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
If you had to play a game of high-stakes chess, would you accept the advice of a grandmaster? Would you even go so far as to taking the advice of the grandmaster even when it seemed like it was going to cost you dearly? This is similar to our wrestle of faith. There are times […]
Read More...Posted: 01 May, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
In this message, Steve talks about how being involved in the church is a strategic part of our mission to advance God’s Kingdom. Church was never intended to be an event, but the church is Christ’s body, in a brotherhood expressed practically in deep and meaningful local relationships, and on mission like a spiritual army. Serving in […]
Read More...Posted: 17 Apr, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson
This is the first of a four-part series called “There is.” Our “There is” campaign is a rallying call, to not just be a group of people who meet together on Sunday mornings, but, to be one body with one faith, following one God. It is based on this verse: There is one body and one […]
Read More...Posted: 02 Apr, 2016 | Author: Bruce Bradford
Bullies come in all shapes and size—financial trouble, stress, anger, sin, and fear. But we don’t have to face these bullies on our own. Bullies cower in fear when someone bigger than them is backing you up. And that’s what God says he’ll do for us. Download
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