As we approach the New Year together, I want you to be thinking ahead to the year 2015. I know that, during this New Year, there are a lot of things you can do … and many things you will do, but I also know … there’s one thing you must do—you’ve got to do! And it’s ‘that one thing’ that I want to talk to you about today. Now, ‘that one thing’ is going to be different for all of us. It’ll be based on what’s going on in...
Today, we begin the 4th part of our series entitled “Christian”, and if this is the first time you’re with us, I’ll try to catch you up quickly. This series will go through Labor Day weekend, and once we get through today’s message this series is going to go to a whole new level. So, whatever you do, don’t go anywhere; you’re not going to want to miss what’s ahead… To date, we’ve been talking about the word ‘Christian’ or the brand ‘Christian’ and all it means or doesn’t mean....
Last week, I talked about churches that reach out and are ‘other focused’ … and churches that, unfortunately, are ‘inward focused’ and truly live for themselves. The truth is, what we’re doing here was never to be about us. The Church is all about Christ and his vision and mission for us as his Body. If you remember, we were also encouraged in this direction by words from Bishop Jung (spoken at AC 2013): “We are not a church geared for survival, but a church that reaches out to a...
(Delivered by Julie Piper, in Rom’s absence…) Only the Gospel of Matthew gives us a record of the visit of the Magi (Wise Guys). These ‘wise men’ traveled thousands of miles to see the King of the Jews. When they finally found him, they responded with JOY, worship and gifts. And I have to say this is so different from the approach many people take today. Some expect God to come looking after them, to explain himself or what he’s up to. Some want Jesus to prove who he is...