Posted: 24 Jun, 2018 | Author: Dove Cranson
The words that come out of our mouths have the potential to bring good to someone else’s life or the potential to bring harm. Sometimes things are hard to say but we should say them. In those situations, how can we speak the truth with love? Download Handout
Read More...Posted: 10 Jun, 2018 | Author: Dove Cranson
Our world is full of beautiful, good things. It is also full of dark, broken, hurtful things. Instead of leaving us to our own misery or destroying us, Jesus came and entered into our dark world, taking the brokenness upon himself. In this message on listening we are taught to listen to the comfort of […]
Read More...Posted: 11 Mar, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson
Romans 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! NIV Romans 5 talks about how we used to be and how we are, and it addresses the kind of treatment we can expect from God. We used to be ungodly. We […]
Read More...Posted: 28 Jan, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson
Jesus’ heart is that all the world would hear His message of hope and grace. Our call is to spread this message. We don’t need to feel guilty about how we’ve failed at this in the past, but it would be good to think about how we can take steps down this path so that […]
Read More...Posted: 14 Jan, 2018 | Author: Steve Nelson
We are all good about praying when we are desperate. Can we bring that desperation back into everyday life? When we don’t know what to do, God is there for us! Download Handout: With blanks / Without blanks For further study: Prayer reference sheet
Read More...Posted: 10 Dec, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson
Jesus gave instructions to be generous, promised blessings for our giving, and implied that giving impacts our hearts! Luke 6:38 [Jesus said, ] “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will […]
Read More...Posted: 07 Oct, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
Wouldn’t it be sad to have something really good and never share it with others? Having a relationship with God through Jesus is something worth sharing! Yet those conversations about our faith, although exciting, can at times be intimidating to initiate. This message shares a couple simple tools that can be used to begin conversations […]
Read More...Posted: 24 Sep, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
As followers of Christ, we have been given a mission to bring the good news of Jesus to all of El Paso and beyond. This message addresses why anyone would want to be a part of that mission and how they could be. Download Handout
Read More...Posted: 17 Sep, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson
“Common people become uncommon standing on the promises of God.” (Dawson Trotman) Do you have the sense that you were created for uncommon purposes? Or perhaps that you have some unfulfilled potential? In reality, God has designed you with certain purposes in mind (Ephesians 2:10). What are these things? What are we supposed to be […]
Read More...Posted: 13 Aug, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
This message continues on the theme from two weeks ago that life, perfection, righteousness is found in Christ’s life in us. A full life, perfection, and righteousness are not achieved from our own power to change ourselves, or even from good circumstances, but from the gift of God. Today we look at how giving thanks […]
Read More...Posted: 13 Aug, 2017 | Author: Tom Schwieger
In a broken world full of sin, strife, and suffering, we need to continually trust that God is good, is in control and cares for us. Download Handout
Read More...Posted: 30 Jul, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson
The good life that really counts for something is not just found in a brief interaction with Jesus, but in a journey of trusting Him and following His lead! Download Handout: No blanks/Blanks
Read More...Posted: 16 Jul, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson
We are all busy people. We want our lives to count and so we fill them up with all sorts of activities. One of the most fulfilling things we can dedicate ourselves to is loving others, but we need to be careful that the busyness of life doesn’t choke out the things we really want […]
Read More...Posted: 09 Jul, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
When Jesus walked this Earth he consistently showed love and grace and acceptance. Yet His love is much deeper than just trying to make people feel good. In fact, He spoke surprisingly harsh words to a certain group of people, the Pharisees. Why? At least in part it was because the Pharisees thought they could […]
Read More...Posted: 28 May, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
There is something in us that makes us want to share with others the good things we have found. Whether it is a great movie, a sunset, a revolutionary product, a new love, or something else we find exciting, we have a desire to pass it on. How much more, despite hesitation or cultural opposition, […]
Read More...Posted: 05 Mar, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
In this message Dove attempts to help us love bad people. This is not so that we would embrace the bad things that bring pain, suffering, and destruction into this world, but that we would love bad people even as God does. Dove explains five reasons we can love bad people, from those far away […]
Read More...Posted: 19 Feb, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
Dove shares about the opportunity to develop an ongoing, growing relationship with the living God. He unpacks Jesus’ call in the beginning of Matthew chapter 6, to pray, give, and fast in secret—not for the approval of others but for God only. When done with a desire to discover the heart of God, not just […]
Read More...Posted: 29 Jan, 2017 | Author: Steve Nelson
The church in Corinth had serious issues that Paul addressed throughout 1 Corinthians. He spoke so strongly on at times that you might think his letter to them would have ended their relationship. Yet as he concluded his letter in chapter 16, instead of writing an it-was-nice-knowing-you ending to their relationship, he penned a very ordinary […]
Read More...Posted: 22 Jan, 2017 | Author: Dove Cranson
As we near the end of 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul reminds his audience what is of first importance: the gospel. The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ came and died for our sins, taking our place, and providing a way for us to have a relationship with God and to be with […]
Read More...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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 14 Dec, 2014 | Author: Steve Nelson
Luke 2:10-11 But the angel said to [the shepherds], “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” NIV Download
Read More...Posted: 14 Apr, 2019 | Author: Steve Nelson
Jesus did not intend for us to be laden by the weight of unattainable perfection. Instead, he wanted to give us rest for our souls.
Read More...Posted: 07 Apr, 2019 | Author: Dove Cranson
Our culture is saying all kinds of things about gender and sexuality. This brings up lots of questions. Is gender just an arbitrary designation in our lives? Is it something that God intended? Does God want men and women to be different? Does God have different roles for us each to play? If we are […]
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