We try to maintain sanity without looking to God, but grow even more confused. Psalm 40 teaches us that waiting for the Lord paves the way for transformation. ...
The Words of Eternal Life Rev. Blake Altman, Lead Pastor God intends to change you by His Word. How is He at work in you to do that? Read the following passageand consider these questions. READ John 6:60-71 (ESV) 60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were gr...
Keep ReadingThe Bread of Life Rev. Blake Altman, Lead Pastor God intends to change you by His Word. How is He at work in you to do that? Read the following passageand consider these questions. READ John 6:41-59(ESV) 41So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said,"I am the bread that came down from heaven."42They said,"Is not this Jesus,the son of Joseph, whose father and mothe...
Keep ReadingParadox Rev. Blake Altman, Lead Pastor God intends to change you by His Word. How is He at work in you to do that? Read the following passageand consider these questions. READ John 6:35-40(ESV) 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me ...
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There are good moments to practice fasting and confession of sin. Lent provides such a time if it can be used as a tool not a rule for your sanctification....
Keep ReadingChristian worship becomes the place to call one another to celebrate the collective imagination, the shared history, the true saga beneath all stories, the gospel which brings human flourishing for the blood-bought lambs, and through them, hope for the world. God’s story of redemption is our story, too. We must tell it and show it and live it together. It is the foundat...
Keep ReadingGod intends His Word to change you. See how He works in you to do that. Read John 6:1-15 and work through these questions: Share a time when you felt God asked you to experience something that seemed unfair (An experience to endure, a command to obey, etc). How did the experience affect your faith or doubt in God? What does John intend his original audience to like and...
Keep ReadingIn the season of Advent*, we celebrate our Lord's coming in the Incarnation and future return in glory. Our celebration of Advent gazes in two directions. In the rear-facing direction, we imagine ourselves to be in the place of those saints who looked forward to the first appearing of the Messiah. A Middle English lyric captures the thrust of this anticipation: Adam la...
Keep ReadingCommunity group leader training is for everyone. I know, you're probably thinking, "But Inever want to lead a community group." And to that I say, that's totally fine! God may never call you to that. But all Christians should desire the skills that a good community group leader has. What are some of those skills? Lead an interesting discussion on a passage of scriptur...
Keep ReadingWe are returning to our exposition of the Gospel of John this Sunday, and I'd like to reintroduce you to the historical context and purpose of this Gospel, a favorite of many. The Apostle John writes his gospel from Ephesus sometime near the end of the first century (70-100AD) to call Jew and Jewish proselytes in Asia Minor to believe in Jesus, the Messiah, and to strengt...
Keep ReadingChildren Get It Rev. Blake Altman, Lead Pastor God intends to change you by His Word. How is He at work in you to do that? Read the following passageand consider these questions. READ Matthew 11:25-30 (ESV) 25 At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them...
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