The explosive beginning of Christianity is one of the most significant developments in history, as well as one of the most unexpected. New movements are usually short-lived. How did a small Jewish sect capture the imagination of the Gentile world in such a short time, especially in the face of hostility, prejudice and political pressure from without, and internal strife and burgeoning needs from within? The way the early church grew and spread is instructive as we face similar challenges today. Take a look at the beginnings of the worldwide “Jesus Movement” in the book of Acts.
Good leaders remind people about what is most important. They sound a warning when needed and don’t get distracted by tangents. At the end of his life, a member of Jesus’ inner circle – Peter - passes along words of wisdom for God’s people facing challenges that resonate even today. These final words of hope and challenge are from one of Jesus’ most memorable and significant apprentices.
If you’ve ever gone into a theater during the middle of an unfamiliar movie, you know how hard it is to understand the movie without knowing how it begins. The same is true of our lives. Whether we realize it or not, everyone is living out of some kind of “story,” some fundamental understanding of the universe: how it came to be, where it is going, who we are, what has gone wrong, etc. Needless to say, we are living in a culture with many competing stories. In the midst of this age - as in every age - the Bible declares itself to be the True Story, and the beginning of that story is the foundation for understanding everything else.
Whether in fiction or real life, one’s dying words to family and friends rightly receive special attention. What might someone want those closest to them to remember and to live? We have such an account in the life of Jesus - an extended farewell address where he effectively says goodbye to his closest followers. In this Lenten season we will look at the upper room discourse, Chapters13-17 of the Gospel of John.
Bigger, better, faster, further- the pace and scale of our lives is relentless and exhausting. Our time saving devices and technologies add complexity to our lives rather than simplify them. Where can we find room and space for God in such cluttered, hurried lives? Together we will learn to stop, with an intentional, weekly day of rest and worship called the Sabbath.
Athletics transcend time and culture, and most people can recall pivotal games they’ve watched or competed in. Sports tap into our deepest longings, our craving for a goal, our need for our actions to matter. Parallels abound with life in Christ- following Jesus involves effort, purpose and direction. Join us as we explore what it means to be part of The Pursuit.
Advent is a season of anticipation and preparation to celebrate with joy. But what kind of joy are we talking about in a world filled with darkness, confusion, suffering and despair? How does the birth of a baby 2,100 years ago impact the lives we are living today? How can we practice joy, especially if we are currently in a state of suffering, uncertainty or loss? We are going to explore how Christ’s coming brings freedom to captives, hope to the hopeless, and joy to us all.
Of all the things Jesus taught on, our relationship with material wealth topped the list! The problem for Jesus was not material well-being per se, but the hold it tends to have on us. Money is a crucial and necessary reality and the source of much good, but it is also tends to be a source of fear and bondage. What makes financial health so hard? Where can we get help? Our next series explores biblical wisdom that can help us break free and find financial freedom.
The book of Acts chronicles a movement of people who see themselves not as consumers and takers but as people “under orders,” SENT with a story to tell and a world to transform. We will look at the launch of this movement in the catalytic first four chapters of Acts.
This summer we return to the mount where Jesus delivered his famous sermon and complete the series we began last year. The Sermon on the Mount may be the most famous sermon in history, but it is also the least obeyed and understood. It would be tragic to miss Jesus’ wisdom because he addresses the deepest and most profound questions about how to live life to the fullest.
If we want a picture of our deepest longings and stirrings, there is no greater resource than the Psalms. These 150 “sung poems” lie at the very heart of the Bible and come in all varieties and flavors. There is not a human experience which is not, in one way or another, captured in these intimate conversations with the Almighty. In this series entitled Soul Music, we are going to discover how the richness found in the Psalms can move us from sighing to singing like nothing else.
