Search Results for: hell

Posted: 04 Dec, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson

What comes to mind when you think of authority and the submission to authority?  Our own experience and cultural context have inevitably shaped that view.  We probably all know examples of the abuse of authority and realize the potential to be taken advantage of.  As we look deeper, we see that a loving authority is […]

Posted: 27 Nov, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson

With a healthy understanding of grace, we can appreciate it for what it really is, and stand firm in the security of our committed relationship with Jesus. This allows us to stop being distracted with trying to measure up or trying to discern exactly what is permissible behavior and what isn’t. Instead, we can focus […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Posted: 09 Oct, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson

Are you chasing after an elusive pursuit to be somebody? What do you think others think about you? What do you think about yourself? It’s easy to think our worth is wrapped up in our own accomplishments and the praise of others, but what really counts is that you belong to Christ. In 1 Corinthians […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Posted: 10 Jul, 2016 | Author: Bruce Bradford

Some people drain the life out of a room just by walking in. Others bring life and elevate the room. You can be a life giver! We all have our own struggles, but who we are in our faith must be independent of who we have been or what we have experienced. Greatness is never […]

Posted: 03 Jul, 2016 | Author: Jon Kronmiller

“For freedom Christ has set us free.” “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” These scriptures are real, but are they a part of your own Christian experience? Is Christianity just a set of rules–different, but still rules? In this message Jon Kronmiller shares how freedom should be (and can be) a part of […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

Posted: 08 May, 2016 | Author: Dove Cranson

In this message, Dove talks about coming together as a church—not only as the local church, but as a community of followers of Christ within this city, country, and world. We were made to thrive in unity and togetherness. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when […]

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 […]

Posted: 24 Apr, 2016 | Author: Steve Nelson

In this second installment in the There Is series, Steve talks about the mission of the church. Why do we do what we do? What are we as a church doing to accomplish our mission? From small groups to lunch after church, everything we do is designed to accomplish our mission to be disciples and make […]